A few drinks in Aya
by Joybug
Summary: Yohji's been planning on seducing Aya for years, but after trying to get him to loosen up with a few drinks and making out, he finds he can't stay away. while Yohji tries to get Aya to understand his feelings another team wants revenge. Yaoi,OOC, language
1. Chapter 1

Author's notes: I don't own Weiss Kreuz or any of its characters. I'm just playing with them right now, I swear I'll put them back when I'm done, LOL!

This is not part of my 'this pain you feel' series.

Chapter 1

"Hey, Aya, I'm bored," Yohji flopped down onto the couch across from the chair where Aya sat reading.

"Congratulations," Aya droned, going back to his book. Omi was out with Ken at one of his soccer games, so it was just the two of them. Aya had a feeling he should've just gone to his room to read if he wanted to be left alone.

"No, I mean I'm really really bored!" Aya glanced up at him, Yohji was grinning from ear to ear, obviously knowing how much he was annoying him.

"Then go to a bar like you usually do," Aya looked back down at his book, but couldn't seem to read the words, he couldn't focus.

Yohji moved closer to him, making Aya roll his eyes. He wasn't going to win this one. He closed his book and looked at Yohji expectantly. What was the man smiling about?

"I don't want to go to a bar alone tonight. Wanna come with me?" Aya shook his head. He did not want to go to a bar. He didn't like people that close to him, especially surrounding him. Anyone could be there with you and there wasn't a damned thing you could do about it.

"What do you want to do, Aya?" Yohji asked. Aya thought about that. What did he want to do? There was no mission tonight and the others would be out for quite a while. He was stuck with Yohji who had already killed his reading mood.

"Whatever it is I'm not going outside," Aya decided. It wasn't like they could play word games or anything like that, so what could they do inside?

"Drinking game?" Yohji asked. Aya thought about that. He'd never drank before, so he didn't know how much he could handle, but he bet it was more than Yohji could take. He had more self control than Yohji.

Aya nodded, that would be interesting.

"Hell yeah!" Yohji was so energetic he was practically running to the fridge where he kept his liquor.

"What drink? We have beer, vodka, brandy, whiskey, JD, sake, uh, what else?" Aya couldn't believe Yohji had that much alcohol in the fridge without him noticing.

"Why do you have so many?" Aya asked, coming up behind him.

"Because I didn't know what you would like," Yohji admitted with a wicked grin. The bastard had planned this?

He was going to put Yohji in his place by drinking him under the table.

"Here, dip your finger in each one and give it a try," Yohji opened up a bottle of each and pushed them toward Aya, who did as he said, trying each one.

Aya didn't like any of them. He had no idea why Yohji would drink something if it tasted this bad. He shook his head, he wasn't going to pick because they were all the same to him.

"Okay, my choice then, hmm, well, what about brandy then? I haven't done brandy shots in a long time." Yohji grinned as he grabbed two shot glasses and handed one to Aya.

"Whoever's bottle is more empty or whoever finishes the bottle first." Yohji said, handing Aya a bottle of brandy while putting another one in front of himself.

Aya filled up the glass and took a shot. It tasted nasty, but warmed on the way down. That was interesting. He didn't give himself time to think too much about the flavour, instead he kept downing more and more, determined to beat Yohji. He could feel his cheeks heating up, he was getting light headed.

"You're looking flushed, Aya, wanna quit?" Yohji taunted. Aya poured more for himself. Yohji was matching him shot for shot but looked as sober as he had when they'd started.

"I'll bet you've never drank any of it before, have you?" Aya shook his head, no he hadn't. He poured another shot, this time sloshing a bit on the table.

"don't spill it, it won't count as a win," Yohji warned. _Bastard! _Aya thought, watching Yohji pour it with a steady hand.

Aya looked at Yohji, the man was so beautiful. What would it be like to kiss him? Aya suddenly looked away, realizing what he had just been thinking. He was just glad that he was already flushed, so that Yohji wouldn't notice him blushing.

"Lightweight," Yohji snickered as Aya reached for the bottle and missed. When had it gotten that far away?

"I'm winning, Aya," Yohji's lips were damp from the brandy. Aya wanted to lean over and lick it from his lips. He went back to the bottle, managing to wrap his hand around it. Yohji reached over and helped steady his hand to pour. Yohji's hand was so warm. Aya wondered what Yohji's warm hands would feel like as they moved over his body. Aya had never been drunk, but he was pretty sure he was right now.

Yohji's hand was starting to tremble as it helped him pour. Good, at least Yohji wasn't completely unaffected by their game.

"Your eyes look so beautiful right now," Yohji said very quietly, almost like he didn't want Aya to hear.

"W…why?" Aya asked, his eyes locked to Yohji's emerald ones.

"Because they're open and honest, not like the mask you put up," Yohji's hand released his to trace the knuckles against his cheek. Aya's eyes widened, what was he…Yohji leaned in and pressed their lips together. Aya gasped with surprise. But Yohji took it as an invitation and claimed him in a breathtaking kiss. Aya's head was fuzzy, there was a part of him telling him that he should pull away to save face so that Yohji couldn't taunt him about it in the morning, but he didn't want to. He wrapped his arms around Yohji's neck and yanked him closer, not caring that he knocked over one of the bottles, spilling brandy all over the table.

"Calm down, Aya," Yohji whispered against his lips, drawing back. Aya stared into Yohji's eyes. They were so filled with need, and something else, something warmer.

"What do you think of me, Aya?" Yohji asked, standing up and dragging his chair over until they were sitting side by side.

"Good backup. Fast with…"

"Not on missions, I want to know what you think of me as a person," Yohji was staring at him, it made him nervous.

"Womanizing jerk…b…beautiful and…caring jerk!" Aya couldn't really put things into words very well right now. Yohji laughed at that.

"So I'm beautiful, am I? How can someone as beautiful as you even call anyone else that?" Yohji leaned in close to his ear, brushing a kiss along his cheek on the way. Aya shuddered.

"Do you like me, Aya? Do you find me attractive?" Yohji whispered. Aya felt like he would melt at Yohji's closeness, he wanted to wrap himself in those strong arms.

"Uhnhn," Aya answered.

"What the hell is uhnh?" Yohji chuckled against his ear.

"Yes," Aya admitted. How could he not find Yohji beautiful? Aya wasn't one to lust after anyone, but he often found himself having to look at anything but Yohji to keep from fantasizing about him. He would keep his eyes averted completely or keep his eyes only on Yohji's eyes, staring him down to keep from lusting after him.

"Do you know what I want to do to you?" Yohji asked. Aya drew back, confused. He'd thought all Yohji'd wanted was to make a fool out of him for getting drunk first.

"Oh, that look. You're so cute when you feel out of the loop. I can tell exactly what you're thinking. I'll show you a taste of what I want to do to you," Yohji trailed his tongue down Aya's throat, tracing along the vein before dipping down and pressing kisses down to his chest.

Aya's eyes widened as Yohji grasped his shirt and yanked it up over his head and off. _What is he doing?_ Yohji's hands felt so good as they slid over his back, moving down and around to his front, sliding up his chest.

"I won't completely take advantage of you, Aya, you're pissed drunk." Yohji chuckled. Aya gasped as Yohji grabbed him and pulled him up into his lap, straddling him. He didn't know what to do!

He grabbed Yohji's shoulders in his hands, trying to hold on. Yohji was right, he was really drunk if he was having a hard time holding himself up.

"You okay?" Yohji asked, looking into his eyes. Aya nodded, yeah, he would be fine, he just needed to stay as still as possible.

Yohji kissed him again, this time deeper, more desperate. Aya whimpered with need.

"God damn, babe, you keep making noises like that and I won't be able to stop," Yohji purred in his ear. Aya gasped at the sensation of Yohji's breath on his ear.

"You're so sensitive," Yohji chuckled as Aya grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him back down for another kiss.

The front door slammed, startling Aya. He scrambled out of Yohji's lap, nearly falling on his ass in the process.

"Can you believe it? Right at the last second!" Ken was practically shouting.

"Aya, come on, let me put you to bed," Yohji sighed. The mood was killed and now Aya looked spooked. There was no way Aya was going to let him help. He hadn't been planning on screwing him tonight, but he had wanted to jack them together. He'd wanted to see what Aya would look like as he came.

Aya nearly fell as he took off toward his room. Yohji hung his head in his hands. _Shit_. He hoped Aya remembered in the morning. What he wouldn't give to see Aya, all hot and bothered, coming crawling back to him tomorrow, or even the next day. He'd wanted Aya for years, and had planned this night over and over. The last thing he'd planned for, while Aya's eyes were desperate and his lips swollen from kisses, was for Omi and Ken to come back before he was done. He hadn't realized he'd spent so much time taunting Aya that they'd run out of time altogether. He could still taste Aya on his lips.

Damn, he had it bad.

Author's notes: Okay, here's another story started. Hope everyone likes it so far.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Hey, Ken, how was that game yesterday?" Yohji asked, smiling as he made his coffee and started up the kettle. He'd heard Ken practically yelling through the house last night about that last second score, but it always made the boy happy to be able to tell someone about it.

Omi grinned at him, glad for once to have Ken go into it with someone else.

"Hey, Aya!" Omi called cheerfully. Yohji turned to look at him. Aya looked rough. He hadn't thought to bring Aya some water or anything, so the dehydration from that much alcohol was giving the guy a killer hang over. He hadn't heard Aya throwing up, though, so it could be worse.

"Want some coffee?" Yohji whispered. Aya shook his head.

"You know Aya doesn't drink coffee," Omi chided. Aya was wincing every time the little blonde opened his mouth. Yohji knew from experience that Omi was hard to handle when you're hung over. Too cheerful to realize he was pretty loud.

"Omi, talk quieter, I've got a headache," Yohji lied. He winked at Aya, who mouthed a thanks.

"You mean you're hung over again? I'd think that with how much you excel at indulging yourself every night you'd be a pro by now," Ken slapped him on the shoulder.

"Drinking isn't like soccer, Ken. Some people can drink and some people can't. And sometimes it depends on the drink or the day," Yohji grinned.

"Yeah, well, you left one of your bottles spilled all over the table and Ken and I had to clean it up. If you're going to drink at home you have to clean up after yourself!" Omi's voice was getting louder. Shit.

"Sorry, I must've been really pissed," Yohji chuckled. He kept both boy's eyes on him so that they wouldn't notice Aya behind them grabbing some aspirin.

"Hey, Omi, since when do you and Ken share the same bed?" Yohji asked with a wicked grin. Both boys sputtered, but what was even funnier was the tiny choked sound Aya made behind them. Had that been a laugh?

"We don't…" Omi started, his face as red as Ken's.

"I'll just bet you don't," Yohji teased. He pointed to the boiling kettle when Aya looked at him. Aya seemed surprised. Did he really think Yohji was so unobservant that he would've really thought he drank coffee?

Yohji rolled his eyes at him. Aya turned and started to make his tea. Yohji admired the view. Damn, Aya had a nice ass. Even though he'd seen him a million times Yohji still couldn't help but stare. He was just glad the kids had more tact than he did, or they'd be getting revenge right now on him by letting Aya know exactly what he was doing right now. Of course, maybe they didn't notice.

He turned his eyes to them and saw the knowing look they both gave him. Yohji winked back at them before resuming his staring.

"So, Yohji, if you stayed in last night you didn't get laid, did ya?" Okay, now it was his turn to choke. He glared at Ken, who was laughing at him.

Now Aya was staring at him intently. Did Aya think he'd…? He did! He'd thought Yohji had raped him or something! No, of course he didn't. Aya would've gotten out of bed, come down with his sword, and stabbed him without any questions asked. So why was he looking at him like that.

"Nope, but that's okay, I stayed in because I was kinda tired, but I really wanted to drink, so I did the next best thing," Yohji shrugged. It was almost somewhat of the truth. He was tired of being with anyone but Aya, so he had stayed in. But it wasn't like he could say that out loud.

"Aya, didn't you hear him banging around downstairs? I'm surprised you didn't kill him for making a mess," Ken was too damned observant sometimes.

"Hn," Aya said, taking his tea and leaving the room.

Yohji grabbed his coffee and followed him. He sat down beside Aya on the couch. Aya moved over to put some distance between them.

"how are you feeling?" Yohji asked, knowing he wasn't going to get an answer. He looked around, trying to think of something, anything, that might start up a conversation. Oh!

"How's Aya-Chan?" he asked, that got Aya's attention.

"She's fine," Aya turned to face him. Good. Much better.

"Where is she now?" Aya looked sort of sad. Yohji wanted to wrap his arms around him, but knew what a stupid ass idea that would be. He'd just end up getting hurt for his efforts.

"Spain. She likes it there." Aya's eyes suddenly hardened, looking at Yohji like he thought he was either fishing for information or trying to manipulate him. Really Yohji was just trying to talk. He'd known for years that he loved Aya, but even now he really didn't know him.

It was hard to get anything on him that wasn't through detective work. He sort of knew how Aya's mind worked, but that didn't mean he really knew him, he just knew a lot of the things that pissed him off and made him suspicious.

"What do you want, Yohji?" Aya asked as if on cue.

"Just to talk, Aya. The kids are talking to each other and I wanted to talk to you. See, that's what people do when they live together, they talk," Yohji teased. Aya didn't find it amusing. He just stood up and left.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Aya groaned inwardly as Yohji followed him into yet another room. How long was the blonde going to follow him?

"Is there a problem?" Aya finally asked, turning to face him. Yohji was following so closely behind that he almost slammed into him.

"Omi and Ken just left on a date, so I thought I would spend some time with you. So no, there's no problem," Yohji grinned. Aya pinched the bridge of his nose. He was going to kill him.

"I don't want to…" Aya stepped back when Yohji reached to grab his arm. What the hell was he doing? Was he trying to start a fight?

"I thought you might want a rematch after you lost yesterday. But then maybe I'm wrong and you're happy that you lost to me or something. I beat you pretty bad, Aya." Yohji was rubbing it in and Aya was starting to get pissed.

Aya wanted to know how many shots Yohji beat him by, but he wasn't going to ask. Yohji was goading him, but…he did want another chance to beat him. He didn't remember much about last night, hell, he didn't even know how he managed to find his room to fall asleep.

"Why do you want to have a drinking contest with me? Doesn't the winner normally enjoy his victory?" Aya really didn't know how this sort of thing went, but he did remember when he'd play games with his sister they used to tease each other for losing and then call it a night.

"Yeah, but it was hardly a victory. You've never had a drink before, so you didn't know what to expect. Now you do. Besides, drinking alone can get boring," Yohji shrugged.

Yeah, like Aya believed for one moment that Yohji _ever_ drank alone. He went out to bars, where plenty of people were drinking, and always brought back some whore. He'd bet that the only thing Yohji did alone was sleep, and sometimes even then he had company.

"Wow, that was quite some look you just gave me, Aya. For the first time I can read you like a book. Yeah, I do drink alone sometimes. Alone sucks. I have no idea how the hell you spend most of your time alone and don't go out of your mind."

Author's notes: Thanks Nixxie for your review. :)

Aya shrugged, he'd gotten used to it. Having people around you made you care about them, and that made you hurt when you lost them. He already cared about the other members of Weiss, but he couldn't let it become love, even though he really wanted to. He liked the way the other three talked together, laughed together, and spent time together. It was like a family, and he was a boarder living under their roof. He'd been doing his damnedest for years to keep it that way. But on missions they had to trust each other, and they had to tend to each other's wounds, and work together in the shop. He cared whether he liked it or not.

"I thought we'd try vodka today. Its stronger, but since you don't seem to want to spend much time with me it'll let us decide the winner faster." well that was something, at least. Really, the idea of spending time with Yohji was something he would've liked if they were normal people. But he couldn't afford to enjoy his company too much.

"You're thinking way too much, Aya. Now sit your pretty ass down and I'll get everything." He hadn't heard that right, had he?

He found his seat at the table, tapping his nails in irritation. Yohji sat the two shot glasses down on the table, pushing one toward Aya.

"Hey, Aya, when was the last time you went on a date? I mean I go on them all the time, and Ken and Omi are on one, but you never really go out," Yohji was staring at him as he opened the two bottles of vodka.

"Dating has conclusions that I don't care for," Aya answered honestly. He hadn't been on a date in a very long time. He watched Yohji pour for both of them before sitting down.

Aya grabbed his shot and downed it. He made a face, it was disgusting.

"Yeah, this is the stuff you drink for two reasons, because you want to get drunk, or because you were about to have something better afterwards." Aya nodded, that made sense.

"So, I'm guessing your last date went pretty bad, eh? She want more than you wanted to give? Some women like it rough, eh?" Yohji seemed to be talking from experience. Aya took another shot. He smirked at the thought of Yohji actually saying no to someone. Like that would ever happen! Hell, it was probably the other way around.

"Does it hurt them when you leave them?" Aya asked, taking a third shot. Yohji's hand stilled on his glass. Aya looked up at him. Did Yohji even know what that felt like?

"Yeah, sometimes it does. I don't do it to hurt them. The one I love is so far away from me, and sometimes I get lonely," Yohji shrugged. Aya didn't laugh. If it were any other time and Yohji had told him he was lonely Aya might've had a chuckle about it.

"Is that it, then? She left you? Women can be such bitches sometimes!" Okay, now Aya had to laugh. Yohji wasn't unaffected by his drink of choice or he would've noticed how he'd just contradicted himself. So, by Yohji's own words, he was a bitch.

"What's so funny?" Yohji pouted at him.

"You're a bitch," Aya snickered. Yohji didn't even take a second to think, he just burst out laughing.

"I've never heard you swear before! That's so cute!" Yohji leaned over to prop his chin up on his hand. Aya swatted his hand out of the way last second, making him face vault into the table.

"Ow! That wasn't nice, Aya!" Yohji giggled. Yohji reached over and snagged Aya's empty shot glass.

"Can't win if he can't drink!" Yohji taunted him. Aya shrugged and grabbed the bottle by the neck and took a long drink.

"Aya, slow down!" Yohji grabbed the bottle from his hand and set it down before handing him the glass again.

"Falling behind me," Aya pointed out. Wow, double vision, that was…interesting. The two Yohji's sitting in front of him were now packing down the shots to catch up.

"It doesn't count if you both drink it," Aya murmured, resting his cheek against the table for a second.

He jumped when he felt Yohji's hand against his cheek, he sat back, forcing his eyes to focus. Yohji was coming closer to him, it was getting hard to see with him so close.

"That far gone, are ya? Well, I think you win this time, Aya." Yohji announced. Aya looked at his bottle, it was empty? Had he really had that much?

"What do you want for your prize?" there was a prize? So what had Yohji's prize been last night?

Aya shrugged. He had no idea.

"Help to bed?" Yohji extended an arm toward him. Aya nodded, grabbing on and pulling himself up. There was no way he was going to make it up those stairs on his own tonight.

"I want a rematch tomorrow, you know," Yohji said. Why did Yohji look so excited? Yohji had lost, why was he grinning like an idiot?

Author's notes: I don't know about anyone else's experience with alcohol, but for me the two biggies to put me under the table are vodka and sambuka.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Yohji was careful as he helped Aya into the bed. Aya's eyes were a bit unfocused. He hadn't meant to get the redhead _that_ drunk. Just drunk enough that he could tell Aya how he felt without getting punched in the face. That had been the real plan of everything. He'd dealt with his feelings as best as he could over the years, but it had become too much. He'd gone through a hundred bodies and it wasn't enough. It didn't matter if it was a male or female, he always pictured Aya, always hoped he could get drunk enough that he could think it was Aya. He paused, Aya looked like he'd finally passed out.

"You awake, Aya?" Yohji asked, those beautiful eyes slid open, looking up at him with confusion.

"Hn," Aya answered. He could see the moment those eyes finally found their focus, actually looking right at him.

"I didn't mean to get you this drunk. I didn't expect you to grab the bottle." He was just glad he'd managed to pull the bottle from Aya's hands before the redhead had downed the whole thing. Yohji had finished off Aya's bottle to at least make him think he had won. Of course he would never tell Aya that, or he'd end up with a few bruises for lying to him, plus it would wound Aya's pride.

"I want to tell you something. Of course you won't remember a damned thing tomorrow, not after how much you had. I love you. I've loved you for so damned long." Yohji leaned down and touched his lips to Aya's. Aya opened to him easy enough.

Yohji didn't waste any time, he slid down on top of Aya, pressing their bodies together as they kissed. Aya felt so good beneath him. Even though he had planned for a moment like this, he had never really believed it would happen, not until yesterday when he'd had Aya writhing in his lap. He'd wanted him so bad.

Aya growled into his mouth as Yohji ran one of his hands down his side before sliding between them to cup Aya's erection through his pants.

Yohji carefully slid Aya's zipper down while he moved his kisses downward. Aya was gasping as he kissed down his neck. He wanted to suck up a mark there, but that would be a really stupid mistake. He knew he was taking advantage, but he knew Aya wasn't going to remember that he'd wanted this. If Aya woke up with marks on his body he'd suspect the worst and think that Yohji had practically raped him, when really Aya was urging him on.

No, he wasn't going to leave a trace behind. He just wanted a taste, he wasn't even going to let Aya reciprocate. No, this was about showing Aya how much he appreciated him, how much he wanted and needed him.

Aya's hands threaded in his hair as he moved his kisses down his chest. He was going to have to be as quick as possible. Omi and Ken had been gone a long time now, they could be, no, they would be, home any time now.

Yohji wanted to taste Aya's entire body, but instead he trailed his kisses down to Aya's open zipper, pulling it wider and sliding the jeans down Aya's hips a bit before taking him in his mouth. It was hard, because he couldn't even take a good grip of his hips without leaving a mark, so he had to try to keep a steady rhythm while Aya bucked and cried out beneath him.

He looked up as Aya moved. The redhead was up on his elbows, watching him curiously. Yohji couldn't even use his full talent on him though, not without leaving a mark.

The only thing that could've made this perfect was if Aya were sober and he could do things properly. Of course that would never happen, so he had to take what he could get.

He didn't know what he was going to do when Aya decided he'd had enough drinking games. He'd be surprised if Aya let him get that rematch tomorrow. This was probably the last time he'd be able to lay his hands on the redhead without it being to patch a wound after a mission.

No, Aya would never really be his. The real question was how was he going to go back to the way things were? Could he really hold another in his arms after he'd held Aya? He really doubted it. It didn't matter that he couldn't make love to Aya. Hell, he wouldn't even be able to come until he was in his own room. He just needed to burn this moment into his memory.

Aya was still watching him, those beautiful eyes locked on his with every breath. Part of him wished that Aya would remember this, but the other part of him knew exactly how Aya would react if he remembered. It would be fine if Aya would kill him over it. No, instead Aya would avoid him, maybe even leave the team just to get away from him.

Yohji wouldn't be able to stand it if Aya was repulsed by him. Aya gasped and came. Yohji took in every drop. Even if it were just for a little while, Aya was a part of his body.

"You okay, Aya?" Yohji asked. Aya nodded, and the second Aya did his eyes slid out of focus again.

"What do you wear to sleep, Aya?" Yohji asked. The redhead pointed to the dresser like that would explain everything.

Yohji shrugged and climbed off the bed.

"Which drawer?"

"Top," Aya said. Yohji could hear him rustling around as he opened the top drawer and grabbed a pair of blue silk Pjs.

Yohji turned just in time to miss the blade of Aya's sword as it was swung clumsily at him.

"What the hell!" Yohji shouted, backing up fast. Aya fell out of the bed in a heap on the floor…and landed partially on the blade. Just hard enough to leave a shallow cut in a diagonal line across his chest. _Shit! So much for no marks!_

Yohji ran to him, kicking the sword a safe distance away.

"You're just like…" Aya managed before he passed out. Shit! That was the last thing he'd wanted to hear! He wasn't using Aya! Not like that bitch! No, he wanted to stay by Aya's side forever! But he knew he couldn't.

Yohji shook his head, feeling the tears sting at the edges of his eyes as he carefully undressed him. He didn't waste any time, he just got him into his night clothes and put him to bed, covering him in the sheets.

author's notes: thanks bibbiesparks for your review =)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Aya stretched, sliding out of the bed. Yohji had visited him half an hour ago and had given him something he said was the 'cure all to hangovers'. The man was right. Aya felt tired, but that was about it.

He paused at a light stinging in his chest. Looking down he noted a shallow diagonal cut. It was obviously from his sword. He would have to ask Yohji what happened. Even if he'd been drunkenly practicing with his sword it was unusual to be cut like that. And there was no way in hell Yohji had used the sword on him. No, if he and Yohji had been fighting and he'd gotten hurt the cut would be all the way around.

He grabbed a turtle neck and a pair of jeans and went to have a shower. He didn't take long. He was on shift in ten minutes. He looked himself over, there were no bruises, so he was at a loss over what had happened.

He quickly got dressed and made his way downstairs. There was a commotion from the others as he came down the stairs. He wondered what it was that had them talking a mile a minute. He was glad he wasn't hung over anymore, or their chatter would be killing him instead of just grating on his nerves.

"Aya, You got flowers!" Omi announced cheerfully. Aya quirked an eyebrow at that.

"Why should I care?" Aya asked. It wasn't uncommon for the girls from the shop to every now and then scrape together enough money to buy something for one of them.

"Because its addressed to Ran. And that doesn't look like Aya-Chan's handwriting to me," Yohji pointed out. Yohji looked pissed as he handed the card to Aya. Upon seeing it Aya grabbed the flowers and threw them in the garbage.

"Should we be worried?" Ken asked, staring at him like he'd grown another head. Aya shook his head. No, it was only himself that should be worried. How had that bastard found him after all these years?

"You should've kept them. They were pretty," Omi whined. Aya rolled his eyes. You'd think Omi would have his fill of flowers working in a flower shop. Why the hell the kid always had to have them in the apartment was beyond him.

"On another note, Aya, can you tell Yohji to clean up after himself? I mean if the guy's going to stay in and drink the least he can do is put away his empty bottles!" Ken griped. So then Aya hadn't won last night. He seemed to remember Yohji saying he'd won, but then Yohji had come down and had the last of his, so it was a tie, really.

"How he can sit there and drink two full bottles of vodka is beyond me. And they weren't even little bottles, they were the big ones!"

"Well, when you drink two bottles that big you tend to think its time to try to crawl up the stairs and sleep it off."

"Yeah, we found him crashed on the stairs. It took both of us to get him to bed, and he wasn't making it easy." Ken pointed out.

"Yohji, the least you can do is let them help you to bed without a fuss." Aya said. He wasn't going to comment on the bottles, being half-responsible for them.

"Well, we should go and open up the doors. You two eat first, we'll be fine until you come out," Omi assured, beaming at them.

"Why am I cut?" Aya asked once the other two were out of reach.

"Well, you kind of fell on your sword. I was trying to help you get changed, you told me where your night clothes were, so while I was looking for them you decided it was time to kill me and swung it at me. I stepped out of the way and you fell on it." Aya could tell Yohji was being honest about it. He nodded, accepting that answer.

"You never did say who the flowers were from," Yohji pointed out.

Aya sat down at the table where Omi had set some eggs for him. He really didn't want to get into this with Yohji.

"Should I hire one of the girls out front to beat the crap out of her?" Yohji was half-teasing. He knew if he actually said yes that Yohji would probably actually do it.

Aya wasn't really hungry, not after the flowers. Right now he wanted to go and kill something to take his mind off it, not eat so that he could surround himself in more flowers that would make forgetting about it impossible.

"Okay, well, if not that then maybe you want to talk about it?" Yohji sounded hopeful, looking like a puppy that was begging for a pat on the head.

"The past is hard to forget sometimes, leave it at that, Yohji," Aya warned him, forcing himself to eat his breakfast so that he wouldn't come off as being as bothered as he was. He would not let Kaito get to him! Okay, that was a lie that even he had to admit, but he wouldn't…the best he could do was hope that the more he acted like it didn't bother him the more it really would stop bothering him.

"Okay. Sorry," Yohji didn't look sorry, though, he looked worried. Was he really that bad an actor?

"We still on for that rematch tonight?" Yohji asked. Aya nodded. Yeah, what he wouldn't give right now to forget.

"Awesome. Its been so awesome to have someone to drink with, and even better that its at home, no having to worry about making someone's boyfriend jealous and shit. Its been fun these past few nights, you know?" Aya nodded. He had to admit that although he hated the drinking part itself the challenge of it was enjoyable.

Author's notes: Thanks Chinchan and Ranma for your reviews.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Yohji's heart sank when he saw Manx prowling around the flower shop. Damn, that meant no drinking tonight. No alone time with Aya tonight. Hell, it might even mean that Aya had time to back out on his promise to drink with him again.

"Yohji," Aya interrupted his thoughts. Yohji looked over to see Aya fighting his way through a crowd of relentless girls with an absurd amount of flowers in his arms.

"Can you grab some of these?" Aya asked, doing his best not to crush the flowers

"Where are we taking them?" Yohji hadn't heard the phone ring, and none of the girls visiting the shop right now could possibly pay for this much flowers, so it had to be an older order.

"Its Ken's turn to deliver, so we should fill up the car for him." Aya looked relieved when Yohji grabbed an armful of flowers from him, evening out his load a bit.

"You shouldn't have grabbed so many at once, you could've crushed them all," Yohji teased. Aya had been tense all morning, Yohji was trying to tease him to lighten the mood, but it wasn't working very much.

"How many orders is this?" Yohji wondered. This was a hell of a lot of callalillies.

"Its one order," Aya said. Yohji nearly dropped them. What the hell? Was this for a freaking parade float or something? He could see behind Aya that there was another pile of them. What the hell!

"What's it for?" Yohji asked, following Aya outside to the scary little flower car. He hated that ugly thing. He was just glad that it was usually Ken or Omi doing deliveries. Both he and Aya didn't look even remotely believable in that thing, so it was always left to the boys to use.

"A banquet, apparently," Aya looked bored with the idea. Yohji could understand why, though. Setting up at a banquet was so tedious. Of course they couldn't just send in the boys, they had to send in one of the older men, too. So it was either Yohji or Aya sent in to help out. People responded better to them than they did Ken and Omi. Probably because, while the boys were cute, Yohji and Aya completely surpassed the beauty of the flowers, so the women liked to watch them arrange things. Really the older customers were way worse than the younger ones. At least the younger ones never actually asked them out, the older ones always stood there and leered at them, and usually propositioned them as well.

Yohji could deal with the propositions, Aya had a hard time with it. It was funny, really. Aya could run in and kill someone without a thought or hesitation, but if someone asked him out on a date he was like a fish out of water when he tried to tell them no. It was part of why Aya resorted to just being rude a lot o the time. Yohji had noticed that a long time ago.

Right now, though, Aya looked desperate to leave the shop. Yohji was going to have to let Aya go this time. He had to admit that it pissed him off when Aya had to go, because he didn't like anyone looking at _his _redhead!

"I'll go with Ken," Aya said before Yohji could suggest it himself. He nodded. Anything to get Aya away from these girls. They were making the man fidgety, and fidgety usually turned into rage pretty damned fast. He didn't want to have to try to cover for Aya if the man went homicidal on one of the girls with a pair of clippers or something.

"Okay. Just call if you need any back up," Yohji put his load of flowers in the car as gently as possible. Aya wasn't gentle at all as he shoved his in alongside Yohji's.

"If we wreck them they won't come back," Yohji reminded. Aya just snorted at that and went to grab more. As Yohji grabbed more flowers the girls in the shop suddenly decided they wanted to help. It was a blessing and a curse sometimes. Right now it was a blessing, as the girls grabbed flowers and helped them get them into the car.

"Thank you, Ladies! You can each grab a rose, on the house," Yohji said, grinning at them as they suddenly went into an excited frenzy.

"The roses are coming out of your pocket," Aya said. Yohji rolled his eyes. He wasn't stupid, he obviously knew they would be on his dime.

Yohji wanted to wrap his arms around Aya and kiss him, make him forget about whomever it was that had him so uptight. If only Aya were as pliant as he was the past few nights. He wanted to hold Aya and let him know that he was there for him no matter what happened.. Hell, he wanted to track this woman down and kill her just because she'd betrayed Aya after he'd given her what Yohji could only dream of having. It was obvious, Aya had been in love. And it wasn't like with him and Asuka, where she'd only left him because she'd died. This bitch had done something that had damaged Aya.

"Girls, we've got to close early today, I'm sorry. With all these deliveries we have to be all over the place," Yohji said, smiling at them as them made sad noises and headed for the door.

Yohji waited for Manx to slip in before he closed and locked the door. And on cue, Yohji heard the sound of Ken's motorcycle. He'd gone to pick up Omi from school.

"Good, you're all here," Manx smiled as Ken and Omi slid in through the back entrance.

"Finally another mission. Anything to keep that lush from leaving bottles all over the damned place," Ken snorted in Yohji's direction.

"Oh please, Ken. I have to drink to get the image of you and Omi out of my head," Yohji snickered. Manx looked like she'd clearly missed something.

They all followed her down the stairs and took their positions around the room while she put on the video.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Aya hated this mission. The bondage bar was not something he was comfortable with, especially with a leash around his neck that Yohji pulled him around by. They had to fit in so that they could get close to the target. Unfortunately there was more than one target, so they had to wait for them.

Yohji was having way too much fun with this. Yohji had set a girlie drink in front of him and was grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Yohji had even slapped him on the rear a few times. Aya was going to kill him when they got home.

Omi and Ken were both too young to come inside, so they were scouting around outside. One of the targets was already inside and had already noticed them. The man had leered at them for a minute before getting himself a drink.

He was glad Yohji knew what to do in this situation, because he didn't have a clue. Kaito had kissed him a few times in public to mark his claim. It had made him uncomfortable, to say the least. Hell, he'd been uncomfortable when they'd kissed behind closed doors, and not because he didn't want to, but because he was new at everything. And here he was with Yohji, feeling as out of place as he had back then.

"Calm down," Yohji said very quietly. Aya looked him in the eye. Had he been that obvious? Yohji reached out and cupped his cheek. His hand was warm, it actually felt nice. Aya had to mentally shake himself to keep from dwelling on it too much.

Yohji leaned in and kissed along his jaw. Aya went with it, letting Yohji tilt his head back and run his tongue down the side of his neck. Aya shivered, it felt really good. Yohji chuckled as he trailed the kisses back up toward his mouth. Yohji's hands were sliding around his waist, pulling him closer. Aya let him guide him up until he was straddling Yohji's lap.

He had to force himself not to tense up as Yohji's lips crushed against his, nudging his mouth open. Yohji seemed to be enjoying himself way too much as he claimed his mouth in a searing kiss.

Yohji kissed across his cheek to his ear.

"you okay?" Yohji asked. Aya didn't say anything. To tell the truth, he really didn't know if he was okay or not. "The target's coming this way," Yohji whispered, lightly biting at the edge of Aya's ear. Aya almost pulled away, but forced himself to stay calm, to let Yohji lead the act.

He hated missions like this, where he couldn't just hide somewhere and sneak up on his targets. No, missions like this he had to act like he was comfortable in rooms full of people. He had to force himself not to turn around an clock anyone that smacked him on the rear as he walked by.

No, he'd rather hide in the shadows any day. He was just glad Yohji knew what he was doing. He didn't even have his sword on him. Where would he hide it? His leather pants and mesh shirt left little to the imagination. Yohji's weapon was easy to conceal, so they weren't completely unarmed.

Aya jumped when a hand slid over his shoulders. He turned his head to face the target, who was grinning wickedly at him.

"You two are so beautiful. Why don't you come with me. I can show you a really good time." The man's fingers tugged lightly on one of Aya's eartails. He was going to enjoy killing this bastard! It would even help relieve the stress caused by that idiot Kaito.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" Yohji asked, his hands moving up and down Aya's back before settling on Aya's hips and thrusting up hard against him. Aya gasped, his head snapping around to face Yohji. The man had better be doing this because of the mission!

"Well, your baby here has a nice ass. I'd love to spank it. The things you and I can do to him! I'll bet he has a pretty scream," the man's voice was like velvet. Aya shuddered at the image he had in his mind. He saw himself inbetween the two, with both of them inside him. He was repulsed by the idea. There was no way in hell!

"Oh, I can assure you he does!"

So now they were following the man upstairs. He supposed he should've guessed a place like this would have an upstairs. Aya went still when he saw the other targets waiting in the room.

Aya launched himself at the man that had touched him, grabbing him by the chin and snapping his neck. Yohji paused, startled by Aya's attack.

Aya grabbed the second one, grabbing him by the head and slamming him to the ground, beating his head on it over and over and over while Yohji unleashed his wires on the third man.

Aya was panting when he let go of the man. That had felt good. It had been worth all of the touching and kissing Yohji had put him through.

He smiled at Yohji. Oh, it was a good night.

Author's notes: thank you Patsch for your review. =)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Yohji was surprised, to say the least, when Aya didn't hit him upon arriving back home. Aya didn't seem to realize that he'd totally taken advantage of the situation. Half of his touching and kissing wasn't necessary for the mission. He didn't have to pull Aya into his lap or push up against him. But he wasn't about to let Aya know that, the man would kill him!

Of course that didn't stop Aya from taking his frustrations out on the target. Yohji had finished off his target long before Aya stopped beating the other guy's head off the floor. Hell, Aya's target had been long dead before Aya stopped. He had blood on his gloves and splattered on his face and clothes a bit. Yohji kept his mouth shut about it.

Aya was upset about the flowers still whether he wanted to admit it or not. The least Yohji could do was pretend like it hadn't happened.

He nearly bumped into Aya as he was heading toward the stairs. Omi and Ken were watching TV and he so didn't want to see them snuggle, it was too weird.

"Hey, Aya," Yohji waited. Aya wanted something and damned if Yohji knew what it was.

"You were having fun," Aya said very quietly, like he was afraid the boys would hear if he spoke up.

"Um, yeah," Yohji admitted. He wasn't going to lie to Aya, well, not about that anyway. Holding Aya in his arms had been amazing.

"Did I…never mind," Aya turned on his heel to leave, but Yohji caught his wrist.

"Nope, you're going to finish that question," Yohji waited patiently for Aya to turn around.

"Did I screw things up?" Aya asked, his eyes sad as he waited for Yohji's response.

"How could you have screwed things up? I'm not sure what you're asking here," Yohji had no idea where Aya was coming from.

"I'm not good at kissing, and I know I probably wasn't believable in my performance. I just…I don't know what to do. Missions like that aren't easy for me. You had to do all the work because…"

"Aya, slow down," Yohji held up a hand. This was the most words he'd gotten from Aya in a long time, and here he was cutting him off mid-sentence.

"You kiss just fine, and you were believable. You were the Uke and it was your job to let me lead, that's why I chose Seme for this assignment. I knew you would be out of your element. Don't beat yourself up about it. A guy with as much experience as I do knows exactly how to deal with those missions. Just be glad that your qualifications are all honourable ones," Yohji teased. That earned him a fraction of a smile.

"I'll let you take the lead next time there's a mission that has to do with sword fighting, kay?" Yohji clapped a hand on Aya's shoulder. Okay, now Aya actually smiled before he caught himself and slammed back into his normal glare.

"What am I going to do with you, Aya?" Yohji grinned as he passed him. Aya, strangely enough, was following him. He just prayed that Aya was following him because his room was right nearby.

Aya's hand snaked out and grabbed Yohji's wrist when he tried to pass Aya's room. What the hell did Aya want?

"I know they're home, so I…" Aya opened his door and stepped inside, dragging Yohji behind him. Yohji's eyes widened as he stared at the bottles of JD on Aya's bedroom floor. _So he didn't forget!_

"Perfect ending to a perfect day, Aya," Yohji chuckled, taking a seat on the floor across from him. It was awkward. There wasn't a table to drink at, and Aya hadn't brought up any glasses, so it was going to be straight from the bottle this time.

"Perfect day?" Aya asked.

"I have to admit something to you, so don't get all pissed off, kay? Promise?" Yohji could feel his heart hammering in his chest, feeling like it was going to smash through his ribs.

"I…its not about Aya-Chan, right?" Yohji had to laugh at that, he shook his head. Nope, it wasn't about her.

"I promise," Aya conceded.

"Kissing you was kind of nice," Yohji knew it was a mistake the second he said it. Aya's eyes darkened and not in a good way.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything," Yohji shook his head. Why did he have to go blurting things like that out? He knew he didn't stand a chance with Aya, so why had he said it? Now things were going to be awkward between them.

"You don't have to lie to make me feel better. I know I almost blew the mission," Aya hissed, glaring at him.

"I'm sorry but its true. You're a damned good kisser. Now you promised you wouldn't get mad, so lets drink," Yohji was surprised when Aya just shook his head. Aya wasn't going to fly off the handle and deck him. Aya was looking at the bottle on the floor in front of him.

Yohji picked up his own bottle, feeling a bit of relief when he saw that Aya was doing the same. How could Aya think that he wasn't a good kisser? He was amazing! Hell, everything Aya did was right on the mark save for the tensing of his muscles every now and then. His kiss had been everything Yohji had dreamed it would be. Those drunken kisses didn't count, they were both sloppy because they were disoriented. No, these were Aya's real kisses. They weren't pro, like Aya had been around the block a thousand times over, but they were definitely good.

And then, the way Aya had been writhing in his lap, he'd almost come undone. He wanted to find that bitch and slap her for making Aya think he didn't know what he was doing!

"Thank you for leading the mission," Aya said very quietly, almost like he was afraid of Yohji hearing.

"No problem." Yohji raised the bottle to his lips and took a deep drink.

Author's notes: Thanks Patsch for your review. J


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was strange, to say the least, that Aya didn't feel awkward around Yohji after that mission. Things had gone back to normal the next morning. They were both working in the shop right now, and it was strange, but they were getting along even better than normal.

Aya allowed himself a small smile as he thought about Yohji singing drunkenly last night. He was surprised that Ken and Omi hadn't complained about it in the morning. But then Aya had kept the bottles in his room and was going to throw them out when the boys weren't looking.

Right now it was just the two of them working. Ken was at soccer practice and Omi was at school. Regardless, he couldn't sneak out to throw out the bottles while the shop was this busy with screaming girls. _Can they get anymore annoying?_

"Ran!" Aya stiffened. No, this was not happening! Not in front of Yohji! He spun and side stepped just in time to avoid getting glomped by none other than Kaito. Kaito was still bigger than he was, and more muscular, and still absolutely gorgeous.

Aya caught Yohji's knowing look. Shit! Aya reached down and grabbed Kaito by the arm and jerked him roughly to his feet before he went back to de-thorning the roses.

"Damn, Ran. You sure grew up from the cute boy I remember. You were adorable, but now you're…damn!" Kaito's eyes were moving over him, making him feel naked. It was unsettling that the man still had that effect on him.

"If I would've known you would look like this I might've stuck around," Kaito was teasing, and Aya didn't find it funny one bit.

He kept his eye on Kaito's hand as he started unwrapping the plastic and ribbons to finish off the order. He had to force himself not to smile as he edged the plastic closer and closer to Kaito's hand so that when he snipped the plastic he'd…Kaito shouted in pain as Aya cut through the skin between his thumb and index finger. It was going to need stitches, and rightfully so after a comment like that.

"Damn it! You did that on purpose, Ran!" Kaito screamed. Yohji wasn't making a move to help him, either. Aya took a quick peek at Yohji and noted that the blonde was smirking as Kaito grabbed one of the cloths they used to clean up the spaces they'd been working on and tried to put pressure on it.

"You're going to need stitches," Aya pointed out, grabbing Kaito by the arm and leading him into the apartment and over to a stool.

Aya grabbed one of the first aid kits from under the counter and threaded a needle.

"Here? You want me to get stitches here?" Kaito's voice was getting louder. Aya was going to smack the hell out of him if he didn't quiet down.

"Don't you trust me to do it right?" Aya asked, pulling up his shirt sleeve to show Kaito the last set of stitches he'd given himself. It was perfectly straight.

"I stitch better than the hospital," Aya knelt in front of Kaito and grabbed his hand, resting it against Kaito's leg so that it wouldn't move around as much while he went to work. Aya treated it like he did when Omi needed to be stitched, he held on tight to that hand because he knew Kaito was going to try to pull away at the first sting.

He shoved the needle in harder than he needed to, earning him a yelp from Kaito. Yohji was snickering. Aya was just glad that Yohji was here and not the boys. Yohji would help him if he decided to hurt Kaito again.

"Don't be a baby," Aya said in his best monotone as he finished stitching. He tied it off and clipped it.

"Don't be a baby? Maybe you should take your own advice, Ran. That was completely childish of you. I came here to apologise and start over with you. Hell, I even hired a detective to find you after all these years! I just…lately I can't get you out of my head, you know?" Kaito was looking him in the eye, turning his hand to try to link their fingers together.

Aya stood up and squirmed his hand out of Kaito's.

"I was a dick. I know that! I really loved you and I left you behind because…"

"Because you found a shiny new toy," Aya said, walking back to where he'd been working on the order. There was blood all over the plastic wrap, Aya was going to have to scrap it and cut a new piece. It was worth it!

"No…I…yes, but I wouldn't have left you for him if you hadn't been…I.." he paused, seeming at a loss for words.

"Tell me then, what I did wrong!" Aya snarled, glaring at him. Yohji took a tentative step back. Kaito wasn't that smart yet.

"I didn't know you were a virgin, okay? I thought you were just tense, and when I found out afterwards that I'd been your first I panicked. I didn't do it to hurt you, and it killed me when you cried, but I knew I couldn't be that special to you. Your first time should've been special, not with me!" Kaito's voice was getting loud again.

"Shut up!" Aya snapped, punching him hard in the jaw. Kaito reeled back, not fast enough to avoid Aya's next punch to his stomach.

Aya stepped away from him and started cutting the plastic again.

"Ran, go out with me. Give me another chance," Kaito was still pleading with him to come back? After what that bastard did to him?

"I think he's had enough, Ran," Yohji said, coming up behind him. Aya didn't know why, but when Yohji's hand slid up his arm to close on his shoulder he calmed down, like that one simple touch had sapped out all of his anger.

"Oh, so that's how it is? You've moved on, eh?" Kaito asked, his eyes looking so distraught that Aya paused. Damn it, he knew better! Kaito was an asshole! Kaito had broken his heart when he was fourteen! Aya-Chan was the only reason he'd been able to pull himself out of his depression and go back to school.

Aya walked back to the roses and wrapped them in the plastic before tying the ribbon in a bow around it.

"I don't really care if you have moved on. You still love me and you know it. I'll get you back even if I have to win you away from that asshole," he pointed his index finger at Yohji. Aya didn't have to look to know that Yohji was toying with his watch.

"You never used to be so short tempered, and you never had a violent bone in your body. He's made you this way. Don't you get sick of being pissed off? Wouldn't you rather have someone who can take all that energy of yours and put it to better use?"

Okay, Aya had to fight off a blush at that! Did he really think that the promise of good sex would make him leap into his arms like nothing happened? _Does he really think he is more to me than Yohji_? Aya's eyes widened. Why had he thought something like that? Did he have feelings for Yohji? _Shit!_

Aya looked at Yohji, who looked like he'd missed something. He knew what Kaito was implying, but what he didn't know was why Aya was looking at him with shock. Aya had to mentally shake himself so that he didn't give Yohji the wrong idea. _And what is the wrong idea? _

"You're not welcome here, Kaito." Aya warned, but was still staring at Yohji.

"You say that now, but I know you'll ditch this loser for me. So I'll be back tomorrow and the next day and on and on until you take me back," Kaito sounded so sure of himself as he walked out the door.

Aya felt broken. He could feel the tears straining at his eyes. Would Yohji look at him different now that he knew what Kaito had done to him? Would he scoff now that he knew Aya had cried over that bastard?

Yohji's arms were suddenly around him, yanking him up against Yohji's chest. Aya hadn't realized how much Yohji had come to mean to him. But the question was, why did Yohji care enough to comfort him after all that?

It didn't matter, Aya sagged into Yohji's chest, feeling the tears start to slip down his face. It had been a lifetime ago, but it still hurt to think about. Being tossed aside like garbage had its way of doing that to a guy, especially because he'd been so young when it had happened.

What was worse, was that Kaito hadn't just left him, he'd beaten the shit out of him in front of his friends. Aya had been crying long before Kaito had hit him, though.

Then he'd had to face Kaito every day at school, watching him screw anything that moved, watching him give others the smile that had been only his. He'd been in hell.

Author's notes: Thanks, Nix, for your review. Unfortunately I don't have much time to myself, so I don't have time to make longer chapters. But I promise I'll keep updating regularly, so it won't be too bad. =)


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Yohji hadn't known what to expect when that hot guy came in and tried to glomp Aya. It was funny as hell to see the idiot fall on his face when Aya dodged him. What was even more hilarious was when he saw Aya edging the plastic wrapping toward Kaito's hand. He'd known what was coming long before Aya actually snipped the bastard. The guy had no idea that Aya might actually be a danger to him. It was funny to see the shock on his face when Aya cut him. It was even funnier when he accused Aya of doing it on purpose. He'd seen an almost-smile on Aya's face even though the redhead was trying for one of his neutral expressions.

It had been hilarious to watch Aya brutally stitch the guy up, too. He knew from experience that Aya knew how to be gentle with stitches. He wasn't being gentle with Kaito, not even a little bit. In fact, he was doing everything he could to make it hurt _more_. He was just glad he wasn't in Kaito's shoes. Of course he would've been smart enough to escape with a bleeding hand than to let the person who'd purposely cut him stitch him, too. What an idiot!

It stopped being funny when he learned why Kaito had broken it off with Aya. He wanted to kill that bastard! Sure, he'd left people behind, sure he'd leave them behind again. But he wouldn't go and deliberately hurt someone he loved just because he freaked over the person being a virgin. Hell, he'd probably be on cloud nine if Aya had given him his first! He'd never have let Aya go, not even back when he'd been a naïve kid. He could bet that, even though he didn't know how to fight back then, that he still had some of the Aya he knew in that boy.

He'd held Aya for only about a minute before the redhead jerked out of his arm like he'd been burned, and took off for his room. He was guessing it was because he'd probably heard Omi's voice before Yohji even knew the kid had gotten back.

"I can't believe you two left the shop unattended!" Omi shouted, glaring at him.

"Well, I had to supervise Aya. He accidentally cut a customer with his clippers and had to stitch him up. I just needed to make sure Aya didn't kill the guy when he started to complain. Then I kinda forgot that we were open. Sorry," Yohji scratched the back of his head with a laugh.

"I better go check the register, make sure the moneys still there." Omi shoved past him. Normally he'd go and help Omi clean up, but right now he had to check on Aya, make sure he was okay.

Yohji made his way upstairs, trying not to run all the way up. Of course, he didn't know what to say to Aya to make him feel better. The only one who'd ever left him behind was Asuka, and she hadn't done it deliberately.

Yohji knew Aya wouldn't let him in if he knocked, so he opened the door and stepped inside. He was surprised, to say the least, to find Aya reading in bed with his back propped up against he headboard. He didn't know what he'd expected after Aya's retreat, but it hadn't been finding him completely back to normal.

"Can I help you?" Aya snapped. Yohji shrugged and walked over to Aya's bed, taking a seat next to him.

"That guy's a shit, Aya. Don't give him a second thought. I'd kill him if I thought I could get away with it. But fucking Kritiker would be on my ass the second I did," Yohji really wished that weren't the case. He'd love to go and show Aya firsthand how much he cared.

"You do it to girls every night, Kudou," Aya said, turning the page in his book when Yohji knew he wasn't reading anymore.

"Nope. When I pick up a girl in a bar I don't tell them I love them, I just say some pretty words and then leave after the sex. I don't try to get them emotionally attached to me. The only times I've had to actually date any of them is on missions, and I hate it. It leaves me feeling empty inside. And I've never left someone for the petty reason he left you behind."

"Shut it, Yohji," Aya growled, glaring at him over the pages. He was walking a fine line and he knew it, but damned if he was going to leave just because Aya threatened him. Aya could hit him all he wanted to, but if he didn't try to help he would feel like he'd let Aya down.

"Nope, not gonna do that. What he did was shitty, but you're not that person anymore. You're not a gentle boy with his heart on his sleeve anymore. Maybe once he realizes that he'll piss off. I mean he says he wants you now, but do you really think he'd want you if he knew you killed people? No! Because he wants someone as gorgeous as you but as gentle as you used to be. That way he'll know you'll never leave him. So show him that you're different now. Be as rude as you normally are." Yohji smirked as he saw the wheels turning in Aya's head. But then the redhead paused, looking questioningly at him.

"I'm rude?" Aya asked, like he had no clue. Yohji laughed.

"Hell yeah, you're rude. But that's why you're our leader, because you can bark orders without worrying about anyone's delicate sensibilities. If Omi led he would be too worried about how we would feel about every little thing he had us do. If Ken led he would probably get us all killed because the guy's such a hothead, and me? Well, I think I just don't bloody well feel like having that responsibility on my plate. So yeah, you're rude, but its called for. Well, except when you snap at the girls in the shop." Aya shrugged, seeming to accept that answer.

"So, what are you planning about doing about Kaito?" Yohji waited for what seemed like an eternity before Aya spoke again.

"I was considering telling Kritiker that my identity had been compromised so that I can kill him," Aya's answer was so cold that Yohji actually shuddered.

"You could do that, or you can make his life a living hell. Order him around, make him do whatever the hell you feel like, and then shut him down. Do it every time and eventually the guy's going to get sick of it and take off on his own. It'll be fun. Hell, throw him my way and I'll give him errands, too. But we won't pay him. Think of him as our own personal slave until he smartens the hell up." Yohji grinned when Aya chuckled at the thought.

"I think that's an interesting idea," Aya said, clearly contemplating the plan.

"What do you say we go and have a few drinks?" Aya snorted at that, but shook his head no.

"Drinking will kill your brain cells. I don't want to drink every day."

"By the way, you and I are in the doghouse with Omi right now. The shop has been unattended for about ten minutes and Omi's having a conniption fit downstairs. He thinks someone's actually going to rob us. Like it would matter that much anyway," Yohji snorted.

"Yes, well, its not like we could alert the police if it did happen. First of all we don't want the police coming here, and second of all we'd be Kritiker's laughing stock." Aya shrugged.

"Aya, take your shirt off," Yohji patted moved closer to him on the bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Aya asked dangerously. Yohji had to force himself not to retreat. Aya needed him right now whether he wanted to admit it or not..

"I'm going to rub your shoulders. Your shirt will get in the way, so take it off and turn around."

"No!" Aya shoved him away.

"Do you think this is a game, Yohji? That you can have 'fun' with me just because you saw that Kaito did it easy enough? I'm not an idiot, Yohji."

Yohji slid off the bed, backing off to the other end of the room. But he wasn't going to leave the room.

"I swear to you I wasn't going to try anything. But you're wound tight like a spring and I just wanted to help so that you'd actually be able to get to sleep tonight. I know when I feel like that I can't sleep unless I've drank myself into a stupor where I can't even remember why I'm mad." Yohji ran his hands through his hair. He hadn't been about to take advantage, he really hadn't! He'd' been planning on doing exactly what he'd said, he was going to massage Aya's shoulders to help calm him down.

There hadn't been an underlying agenda. He had taken advantage of Aya when he was drunk, though, and that made him feel like an asshole. Had he known what Aya had been through he wouldn't have tried it at all. He didn't want to be like Kaito. Especially not to Aya.

"Yohji, I…I just need quiet," Aya sounded so tired.

"I can do quiet," Yohji grinned at Aya's snort.

"Since when?"

"Since right now, but I won't be able to be quiet if you keep asking me questions," Yohji made his way back to the bed and sat down, this time stretching out beside Aya with his back against the headboard.

He wanted to grab Aya's hand and lace their fingers together, he wanted that connection. But trying to get that connection was likely to get him hurt and kicked out of the room. Instead he contented himself with the feel of their shoulders touching.

He turned his head to look at Aya, but the redhead was already starting to doze off. He wished he could chalk it off to being his company easing the redhead, but he was pretty sure it was more because everything else had made him emotionally freak out and now he just needed to sleep it off.

Author's notes: Ranma, thanks for your review. LOL! You and Nix are ganging up on me! :3


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The first thing Aya registered when he opened his eyes was the pain in his spine from sleeping sitting up. The second thing he noticed, which put his mind in a panic, was that he wasn't sleeping alone. He didn't have to look to know who it was. He well remembered yesterday when Yohji had sat beside him so they could talk. Of course he didn't remember much after.

Aya was very careful as he slid out of the bed. He didn't want to wake Yohji up, he needed to get as far away from him as he could. The only place Aya could think of that Yohji wouldn't follow him was the shower.

So he stealthily went through his dresser and grabbed some jeans and a black t-shirt and bolted from the bedroom just in time to hear Yohji's tired voice call out his name.

Aya nearly ran Ken over as he raced for the bathroom.

"What the hell!" Ken shouted at him. Normally Aya would probably stop to glare at him, but he could already hear Yohji coming after him.

"Aya! We need to talk!" Yohji shouted. Aya blushed bright red when he thought about how bad this looked. Ken would think they'd had sex.

Aya slammed and locked the door. He leaned back against it, panting and feeling like he'd run a marathon.

Aya set the clothes neatly on the floor and climbed into the shower. He set the temperature to the hottest setting.

He couldn't believe what had happened yesterday. Every time he'd thought about what he would do if he ever saw Kaito again and the worst he did was cut him and botch the stitches? No, he'd had visions of inviting him in and killing him on the roof cut by cut. Maybe pulling his joints apart first so that he couldn't run away.

He was disappointed with himself, to say the least. And worse was that he'd freaking cried again. And worse than that, he'd not only cried in front of Yohji, but _on _him. He had no idea how Yohji took that. But the man hadn't pushed him away, if anything he'd pulled him into his arms in the first place. He'd done his best to save face afterwards, but he was just so exhausted.

And now, here he was, hiding in the shower. He recognized his feelings for Yohji. But he would never act on them. No, he wouldn't be just another notch in Yohji's headboard. He wouldn't make the same stupid mistake twice.

Aya nearly jumped out of his skin when a hard knock sounded from the other side of the door.

"Aya, come out of there!" Yohji sounded like he was starting to get frustrated. _What the hell does he have to be frustrated about?_

"I'm having a shower. Go away." Aya said in his best monotone. It was then that he realized he hadn't even picked up the soap. How long had he been standing under the spray? Not too long, or the water would've gotten cold.

Aya grabbed the soap and started cleaning himself, trying to ignore Yohji's incessant pounding on the door.

"Aya, if you don't come out I'm coming in!"

"No you're not!" Aya shouted back. He wouldn't, would he? Aya's eyes widened when he heard the sound of Yohji picking the lock.

He quickly washed his hair, trying to ignore Yohji even as he heard the man come into the bathroom.

"_Hey, Aya?" Ignore him! Ignore him! Ignore him!_ Aya tried so hard to block him out, but just the sight of Yohji's profile on the other side of the shower door made his breath catch.

"Aya, are you alright?" _Oh great! Sympathy! Just what I fucking need right now!_ Aya scratched his nails hard into his shoulders, dragging long cuts that bled a little. He had to take his mind off Yohji and how much he wanted to give in.

"What do you want, Yohji?" Aya droned. He managed to keep his voice neutral. Now if he could just do the same with his face. He looked at his wobbly reflection in the steel showerhead and glared. _Okay. Good!_

"Make yourself useful and hand me a towel," Aya barked, sliding the door open part way.

Yohji handed it to him without a word. Aya quickly dried off and fought off a shiver as Yohji's gaze slid over him while he climbed out.

"Quit staring at me," Aya warned, grabbing his jeans and throwing them on.

"Can't help it." Yohji said, grinning at him.

"Learn to help it." Aya pulled his shirt on and reached into the drawer under the sink for his brush.

"What do you want from me?" Aya asked while brushing his hair. Damned if he knew what was going on in the blonde's head right now.

He kept his eyes locked with Yohji's in the mirror while he made sure that not a single strand was out of place so that it would dry properly.

"Well, I don't really know the answer to that. I just didn't want you to think that I wanted something from you last night other than to make sure you were alright."

"Consider me informed. Now if you don't mind, I would like to finish up in here by myself." Yohji threw his hands up in the air in frustration, but did as Aya said. Aya felt bad for dismissing him like that after he'd tried to be there for him last night, but he couldn't afford to be seen as weak by any of the other members of Weiss. A weak leader meant a weak team, after all.

He really wished Kritiker would get their asses in gear and set up another mission. He really really wanted to kill something right now.

He quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face before leaving the bathroom. He ran right into Yohji, who was apparently waiting right outside. How had he not heard him?

"Apparently that idiot really didn't get the message. There's more flowers for you. Omi's safe-guarding these ones, so you're going to have to fight him for them. An entire bouquet of tigerlillies and freesia."

Aya rolled his eyes. That idiot Kaito was always buying him expensive flowers. He probably thought that was why Aya worked at a flower shop, because he loved them so damned much.

"So, what are you going to do to him today? I can bet that he's the annoying person Omi talked about waiting outside the shop doors." Yohji said with a grin. Aya shrugged. He really didn't know what he was going to do to Kaito. But he would make sure it hurt like hell.

He skipped breakfast and went straight down into the shop, opening the doors. Sure enough, Kaito rushed in the second the door opened.

"Ran, I came back!" He said, like Aya hadn't noticed? Idiot! Aya dodged his attempted hug with a growl. Didn't he learn?

"Make yourself useful," Aya pointed at the bushels of roses.

"Wrap them up?" Kaito asked, looking a bit confused.

"De-thorn them." Aya actually liked doing the roses, but he knew Kaito would hurt himself doing it, so that was sort of fun.

"Come on! Don't you have any lifting that's too heavy for you or something?" Kaito griped.

"I think your memory needs improving, Kaito. Last I checked I was male. Now get working on those roses or I'll show you the door!"

Author's notes: thanks Ranma and thanks Chinchan for your reviews. X3

Sorry I couldn't do any writing yesterday, my laptop crashed. Now I'm fighting with the rest of my family for the crappy clunker. It will be a week before I get my beloved laptop back. I'll do my best to post every day, though.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Yohji wasn't impressed with the situation right now. Sure, it was funny as hell to watch Aya give Kaito all the painful jobs without showing him the easy way to do it without hurting yourself. Hell, he'd even had Kaito hang a banner up that advertised their abundance of roses, then Aya had 'accidentally' bumped into the stool and had knocked him flat on his ass.

Right now though all Yohji could think of was how he'd been able to hold Aya last night. How they'd slept side by side and how Aya seemed comforted by his presence. It made him need Aya right now. Even just a glance that wasn't filled with anger. He wanted Aya in his arms again. It wasn't about sex, it was about the love he'd hidden for so long.

Of course if he came out and said he loved him Aya would run for the hills like he had when he'd woken up. Not even on missions had he seen Aya run that fast. When he'd come into the bathroom to talk he'd been almost ready to tell the man how he felt, but then he'd thought about how Aya would react and had kept his mouth shut.

Aya thought he was trying to use him. Even with Asuka Yohji hadn't felt like this. He hadn't felt this desperate need. However, he had to admit that he liked the fact that Kaito thought he and Aya were together.

But it didn't change the fact that Aya was treating him like the enemy. Yohji would have to settle for touches that could be seen as accidental by Aya. Like touching his hand while handing him the roses that Kaito had de-thorned. He'd done a good job, even though he had cuts all over his hands. Yohji had been hoping that Kaito would mangle them and piss Aya off.

"Go and weed the flowers out front. It looks bad if we have weeds infront of the shop."

"Come on! Isn't there any real jobs to do?" Kaito whined. Now Aya looked ready to murder him. Yohji had to fight off a smirk

Kaito had no idea how close he was to Aya's danger zone. He'd be surprised if Aya didn't grab the broom and beat him near to death with the wooden handle.

"If you can't do the job then get out. I have no use for someone who is afraid of a little hard work." Aya snarled. Yohji backed up a little, making sure he was out of range from Aya's anger.

Kaito swallowed hard, looking like he was finally realizing that Aya was dangerous. The man nodded and walked out of the shop and started to weed the garden with his bare hands. They had a contraption for that sort of thing, but Aya wasn't offering him so much as gloves to keep his hands safe. Aya was enjoying making the man torture himself. Yohji stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Manx pass by, nodding at them. There was going to be a mission tonight. Damn. He'd been hoping they could drink together tonight.

He could still remember the taste of Aya's flesh under his lips. He'd thought it would get Aya out of his system a bit. Instead it left him craving more every time he looked at the man. He could remember Aya's glazed over eyes, his flushed face, his panting breaths.

He looked over every inch of the man, loving the way Aya's jeans hugged against his body, the way his shirt moulded to the muscles of his chest. Not even the green apron could hide how beautiful his body was. And then there was his face. He was perfect in every sense of the word. His skin looked so soft, his eyes so dangerous despite the beauty of them.

"Stop staring at me!" Aya hissed at him. Yohji just grinned at him and continued to stare. He couldn't help it, really. Maybe if Aya was in that godawful orange sweater he might be able to look away.

"I just saw Manx," Yohji said very quietly. Aya just nodded, looking back out the window at Kaito.

"What are you thinking?" Yohji came toward him and risked himself by sliding his hands over Aya's shoulders and starting to massage. Aya didn't move to stop him. In fact, he leaned slightly into the touch. Aya's muscles were taut. Yohji had never given a massage to someone wound as tight as Aya, but he'd even made hugely muscular men purr at his touch before, so he utilized his talents on Aya.

"you need to relax a bit." Yohji wanted to lean in and kiss the bare skin at the hollow of Aya's neck. He wanted to run his lips along that long slender neck, reach over and start sliding his hands beneath Aya's shirt and make him moan.

It was a suicidal idea, really. He smiled when Aya started to relax under his touch. Out the window he could see Kaito staring at him with rage. It was ironic, really. He wanted what Kaito had and Kaito wanted what he thought he had. Maybe if that stupid bastard hadn't been a dick he would still have Aya in his arms. Yohji hated that idea. As much as he didn't want to see Aya in pain he didn't want Aya with someone else!

"What are we going to do with pep-squad out there? He can't see us leaving in mission gear," Aya stiffened up again and drew away from him. It was okay, though. Aya hadn't acted like he'd burned him this time. Maybe he was making a bit of progress. He could only hope that was the case.

"Is it wrong to want to kill someone for wronging you? Is it wrong to feel like it will give you the closure you need? Kritiker won't let me touch him, though,"  
Aya sounded defeated as he pressed his hand to the window where he could see Kaito working.

"Its not right for someone to use you and then throw you away. Its harder than anything to try to let something like that go. What he did was awful and there's no way he deserves your forgiveness, but to kill someone for wronging us is…he's not worth it, Aya." God, what Yohji wouldn't do to be able to pull Aya in his arms like he had yesterday.

"Do you still have feelings for him?" Yohji hated to ask, but usually it took some sort of love to create such hate in a person.

"Only the feeling of betrayal. Just the feeling of that rage all over again," Aya said very quietly.

"I'll stand by your side no matter what you decide to do, Aya. Even if you decide to kill him, I'll back you up on whatever excuse you want to give to Kritiker."

"Why would you do something like that?" Aya looked suspicious, like he thought Yohji was going to suddenly betray him worse than Kaito ever had.

"Because whether you like to admit it or not, we're pretty close to being family. Our team is pretty closely knit, you know?"

Aya shrugged, obviously unsure of how to answer that question.

"I can help you set the bastard up so that Kritiker will want him dead." Yohji grinned, he liked the idea and he knew it would work.

"What do you have in mind?" Aya's focus was suddenly completely on him.

"Let him see you covered in blood after a mission. To keep Weiss in the shadows you'll get to kill him," Yohji looked at the man outside, seeing the jealousy and rage on the man's face. Kaito was going to be trouble if they didn't get rid of him.

"I'll see what I can arrange," Aya agreed, offering him a small smile.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Aya didn't know what to make of Yohji's proposition. Yohji had said it like it was so easy to make happen. Why was Yohji being so damned helpful?

He couldn't afford to have feelings like that on the mission. So he waited in the shadows for the target. Kritiker had screwed up when they'd given them the mission details. He and Yohji hadn't expected so many guards around the place.

He watched the door carefully, waiting for Yohji to make his appearance. It was taking way too long. He was starting to get worried. Had Yohji been…

The target waltzed into the room, completely unsuspicious of there being someone ready to kill him.

"I know you're in here. I can feel you just like I felt your friend. Why don't you come out to play!" The man shouted, actually looking happy at the situation.

Aya launched from the corner at the man, swinging his sword at him. The man grinned, catching the blade in his hands. Kritiker hadn't said anything about the man being trained in martial arts. He ripped the sword right out of Aya's hands and sent it flying across the room.

"What did you do to him?" Aya demanded, his heart feeling like it was smashed to pieces.

"The same thing I'm going to do to you. My guess is that you're Aya. He called out your name as he fell under my bullet."

Aya's eyes widened as the man pulled a gun out of his coat and aimed at him. It didn't matter what he did he was going to get shot! Even so, Aya wasn't going to go down without a fight!

He lunged for the man, feeling the bullet ripping through his stomach as he uppercutted the man in the jaw, sending him flying.

Aya fell to the ground. He was losing blood fast. The man was back on his feet quickly, pointing the gun at him, aiming for his head this time.

Something slammed into the man, sending him to the ground. Aya forced himself to his feet, staggering toward his sword. He grabbed it by the handle and headed back to the man, pointing it down at him before stabbing him through the neck. Some of the blood splashed up at him. He hated when that happened.

He collapsed into the arms of the man that had saved him. Kaito!

"How did you become this way, Ran?" Kaito asked with tears in his eyes. Kaito kissed his forehead.

"Yohji?" Aya asked, panting for his breath. He couldn't even push Kaito away, he was getting weak fast.

"I brought him outside already. He's going to be fine. The other two are outside waiting for you." Kaito picked him up like he weighed nothing. Aya had to forgive him at this point. He wasn't going to be romantically involved with him, but he wasn't going to report him to Kritiker either, not after he'd risked himself to save him.

"Did I do this to you?" Kaito asked, the tears finally slipping down his face.

"Takatori," Aya murmured. His eyes were sliding shut against his will.

"Just hang in there, Ran." Kaito said. Aya tried to force his eyes to stay open, but it was getting harder by the second. Kaito ran him out the front doors where Omi and Ken were waiting in the car.

Kaito placed him in the backseat with Yohji before climbing in with them. It was cramped, but Aya didn't care, Yohji was still breathing and that was all that mattered to him.

"Yohji?" Aya whispered. The blonde's eyes slid open, looking at him. Aya leaned down and pressed his lips to Yohji's. He had to! If they both died he needed to know that Yohji had seen the love in his eyes before they died.

"Aya, I love you," Yohji whispered with tears in his eyes. Aya pulled himself up against Yohji's chest. It hurt both of them for him to lay like this, but he needed this connection. Yohji's hand ran gently through his hair, it felt so nice.

"Make sure you stay alive, Aya," Yohji whispered.

"Aya?" Kaito asked, looking confused. "Isn't Aya your little sister's name?" Aya ignored him. He didn't feel like explaining himself.

The car came to a halt infront of the magic bus hospital. Ken and Omi wrapped their arms around Yohji's torso, helping him walk to the emergency room. Kaito carried Aya again, which normally would've pissed him off. Right now he couldn't make himself care about his pride. He was more worried about Yohji than himself.

Before he knew it he was on an operating table, having the doctors remove the bullet and stitch him up.

It felt like it had taken an eternity, when really it was around twenty minutes maximum.

The second he was placed in a hospital bed he pulled himself painfully to his feet. He had to find Yohji to find out if he was alright!

He leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath. He was dizzy, to say the least. He managed to sneak past the doctors and into a room that he somehow knew was Yohji's. He didn't bother to think about how he knew. He made his way over to the bed where Yohji was sleeping soundly.

Yohji had some equipment attached to him. A tube under his nose, and an IV in his arm. Aya carefully lifted the blanket and slid in beside him. He loosely wrapped an arm around him, resting his head against Yohji's chest again, listening to his heartbeat.

"Aya?" Yohji asked in a quiet voice.

"Hn," Aya answered.

"I meant what I said to you earlier," he could hear the tremors in Yohji's voice, like the man expected him to bolt from the room.

"I know, You wouldn't have lied about that if you'd thought it was your last words," he felt Yohji sigh.

"I've loved you for so long. It hurts, it's always hurt to love you," Aya didn't doubt that for a second. He'd worked so hard to keep everyone at a safe distance that he hadn't thought he was hurting any of them.

"I'm yours, Yohi," he couldn't return the words exactly, this was the best he could do. He loved Yohji so much, but he couldn't bring himself to say the L word. Instead he'd pledged his heart to the man. It meant more than that four letter word, didn't it?

"I've wanted to hear that from you for so long. I never thought it would ever happen," Yohji's voice was hitched, like he was trying not to cry.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Yohji smiled at Aya, who was reading, acting like nothing had happened. Maybe Aya didn't think he was serious.

"Aya, want to go somewhere?" Yohji smiled as Aya closed his book and gave him a small smile.

"What do you have in mind?" Okay, movies were out, Aya hated any sort of television. He thought it was a waste of time and brain cells. Drinking was out. Dancing was more than out.

"Dinner?" It was about the only thing he could come up with that was a romantic atmosphere without anything that Aya would hate.

"It bothers me. I can't tell Kritiker about Kaito. He saved our lives and I…I can't kill him right now, not when I owe him."

"Hey, Aya? What about dinner?" Yohji repeated himself, grinning when Aya snapped out of his train of thoughts.

"Where?" Yohji paused at that. What types of food did Aya like the best? That was a hard question even with his extensive knowledge of Aya's likes and dislikes. Aya liked a little bit of everything.

"There's a good Italian restaurant that opened up last month, wanna check it out?" Aya just shrugged and rose from his seat. That was as much of a yes as he was going to get.

"Do we need to get changed?" Aya asked, looking down at his leather pants and black T-shirt. His eyes then skated over Yohji's leather pants and crop top.

"Nope. It's a place where you need to have sleeves on your shirt and no short skirts, but other than that there's not a damned thing they can do about it. Besides, we look hot like this. I wish you'd wear those pants more often," he grinned when he caught a blush that Aya was trying to hide.

Aya grabbed a pair of knee high leather boots and slid them on, lacing them all the way up. He then grabbed a black leather coat out of the closet. He'd bought it in case he wanted to wear the leather pants out. Yohji had been surprised when he'd seen the coat Aya had bought.

It was strange to see Aya do something that he himself had done. But Aya wasn't doing it for vanity, he was sure he was doing it because he found leather as comfortable as Yohji did.

"That's so sexy on you," Yohji leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. He chuckled as Aya jerked back with surprise.

"I meant what I said before, Aya. I love you. Do you love me?" Yohji lay his hand against Aya's blushing cheek.

"I…I'm yours Yohji," Aya repeated the words he'd said earlier. Yohji was going to have to content himself with that answer for now.

A loud knock at the door made them both jump. Yohji winced as the jerking motion strained his stitches a bit. He saw Aya doing the same.

Yohji whipped the door open, only to find Kaito standing there with a handful of roses.

"I don't know what happened to you to make you change this much, to stain you with blood, but I don't care what you've become! I still love you!" Kaito said, looking both sad and loving in the same breath.

"You call yourself Aya now, right? That's who you've become? I don't care, Aya! I love you no matter what!"

"Out of the way, Kaito, we're going to dinner," Yohji reached down and linked his hand with Aya's.

"I'll win him from you! You'll see!" Kaito yelled, shoving the roses into Aya's hands. The redhead looked confused, like he wasn't sure what to do with the flowers.

"I can tell you two haven't been dating long, in fact, I'll bet you just started the other day! Aya and I have a long history together! I know all his likes and dislikes, I know how he walks and talks! I know that when he puts his hands in his pockets that he's bored, and that when his eye twitches he's pissed off. I know what he looks like when he's crying and what he looks like when he's truly happy! Do you even know one of those things without me having told you!" Kaito yelled at Yohji. Damn, the man was even more determined than he'd been before!

"Yeah, well, I haven't made him cry, so I wouldn't know about that!" Yohji snapped. It wasn't in his nature to get pissed off, but right now Kaito could go to hell!

"What about his smile? I haven't seen him really smile once since I got here! If you can't even make him smile then you're not good for him!"

"Piss off, Kaito!" Yohji yelled. He paused when Aya lay a hand on his chest to stop him from yelling anymore.

"Kaito, thank you for saving our lives, but you must understand that my place is with Yohji now, and while our relationship might be just starting that doesn't mean that its any less important than my relationship with you.

Yohji paused at that. What the hell did Aya just say? Did he just admit to still having feelings for that bastard? Was he really fighting Kaito for Aya's attention? He hoped that wasn't the case. He wasn't positive that he would win such a fight. Not when Kaito knew so much about who Aya used to be and still accepted that he was a murderer.

Like he was reading Yohji's mind Kaito spoke up. "I've seen blood on your face and it makes you even more beautiful, like a rose with the thorns still in it! I've seen the look on your face when you end the life of another and it amazes me that my delicate Ran became a beautiful dangerous man. But even though you're a new man I can still see some of the delicate Ran that I knew. Its like you're two beautiful people, and I love them both," he smiled at Aya, completely ignoring Yohji.

"Kaito, we should be leaving now," Aya said, dismissing him easily. Yohji was glad, he'd been half-expecting Aya to warm up to those words. They were as beautiful as some of the lines he'd used on girls.

Yohji walked with Aya, trying to ignore Kaito as they made their way to the restaurant.

They were lucky, it wasn't busy, so they were seated immediately. Kaito was out of luck, though, as the staff seated him quite a ways away from them.

Yohji ordered two white wines, while Aya wrinkled his nose at the idea of alcohol.

"Trust me, you'll like this. Besides, you can't have Italian food without wine. Normally it would be red, but I figured you'd like a sweeter drink." Aya just nodded at that and ordered when the waitress came back with their drinks.

Yohji reached across the small table and threaded his fingers with Aya's. The redhead offered him a small tentative smile. Yohji couldn't help but grin at that. Aya was happy.

Yohji quickly ordered, trying not to laugh as the waitress gave him the eye.

"I really love you, Aya."

"You've already said that a few times now," Aya quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I'm making up for lost time! I've loved you ever since I met you, but I was too cowardly to tell you. I thought you would run for the hills."

"You're right, I would've. But I've always had feelings for you, as well." That was all the incentive Yohji needed. He leaned across the table and brushed his lips against Aya's. Aya quivered at his touch, but leaned into the kiss, parting his lips in invitation. Yohji slid his tongue between Aya's lips and kissed him gently, sliding his tongue against Aya's.

Aya was more than enthusiastic, he was deepening the kiss, adding passion to a once soft kiss. Yohji plundered his mouth, groaning as Aya's hands tangled in his hair almost painfully, to keep him from pulling away.

"Um, excuse me, guys, but um, this isn't the type of place where you should be doing that," the waitress said, her face bright red.

Yohji chuckled as he drew back. Aya's face was flushed, his lips swollen from the kisses, his eyes filled with passion. He looked amazing.

"I love you," Yohji said for the hundredth time. Aya smirked and rolled his eyes at him. It was going to be a good night.

Thanks Ranma for your review. X3

Don't worry, I still have plenty in mind for Kaito.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Aya heaved a sigh as he walked hand in hand with Yohji back toward the flower shop. Kaito was still following them! He had half a mind to kill the man, but there was a real part of him that still cared about Kaito. It wasn't love, but he had saved Yohji's life, so Aya cared.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Yohji asked, giving his hand a slight squeeze.

"You know I did. Well, except when the waitress told us to knock it off, then I was a little perturbed and a bit embarrassed. I've only been told to not fight in an establishment, not for…?" Aya didn't finish that sentence. Yohji knew what he was talking about, so he didn't have to say out loud that they'd been making out at the table. He'd been reluctant to pull away, but he had no desire to be kicked out.

"Is that pest going to follow us all the way there?" Yohji asked with a snicker. What did Kaito think, that Yohji was going to leave Aya at the door to go and do his own thing? Did he think Aya was going to wait for him and go on a date with him next? Like hell!

Aya slammed the door in his face and spun around, ducking and sweeping his leg out the second he felt Yohji coming up behind him. Did the blonde think he could attack him? Really?

"Ow, what the hell did I do to deserve that?" Yohji asked from his position on the ground.

"You tried to attack me! Did you think I wouldn't notice? Using Kaito as a diversion? What the hell were you thinking?" Aya snarled. He didn't like being made a fool of. He had no idea what he'd done to piss Yohji off, but he didn't let his guard down _that_ easily!

"I was going to kiss you, you stubborn ass!" Yohji shouted, climbing to his feet.

"Oh, I…You could've said something!" Aya snapped.

"Yeah, that's real romantic. Hey, Aya, I'm going to kiss you, kay? Wow, and to think I never used that line on anyone. Gee, I wonder why!" Yohji chuckled as he came toward him. Aya frowned, watching Yohji's movements carefully.

"Loosen up a bit, Aya. I'm not going to bite, well, okay, I might, but you'll like it," Yohji winked at him. Aya fought off a blush, trying to relax his muscles to no avail.

"You're going to have an aneurism one of these days," Yohji's hand came up to touch his face. How the hell had Yohji expected him to relax when he was coming into his personal space. He'd only let Kaito kiss him before, and it hadn't been nearly as good as Yohji's kiss, and on top of that Kaito had left him the next morning.

"Close your eyes, Aya," Yohji whispered as he brushed their lips together. Aya didn't want to. But as Yohji pressed their lips together more firmly Aya couldn't really see much other than Yohji's eyelids. He gave in, opening to Yohji. Yohji's kiss was expert as he seemed to taste Aya's entire mouth. Aya tangled his hands in Yohji's hair to pull him in tighter.

Aya gasped as Yohji wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him in tight against his body. Yohji's lips left his to trail kisses down his jaw to his neck. It felt so good! Kaito had never done that. Kaito had kissed him a few times and then had gotten to business. It had hurt like hell, but Aya had given in because he'd loved Kaito.

Giving in to Yohji was different, because Aya had to learn to be gentle, had to let himself loosen up in Yohji's arms. It would've been easier if Yohji had just done it and been finished. That way Aya wouldn't have to loosen up only to get hurt.

"We should go upstairs," Yohji whispered as he came back up to his ear. Aya shivered, but nodded. He definitely didn't want Omi or Ken to come in to see what was going on, especially because Yohji had yelled only moments earlier.

"I can carry you if you like," Yohji teased. Aya punched him lightly in the shoulder before heading up to Yohji's room. They would do it there. That way it would be Yohji's sheets that would need washing, not his own. Blood was hard to get out of white sheets.

Aya wrinkled his nose at the dirty laundry on the floor.

"Pick that up!" Aya snapped, pointing to it.

"I'll do it after," Yohji groaned.

"No, you'll do it now or I'm leaving." Aya pinched the bridge of his nose as Yohji grumbled about it before starting to pick it up. _I swear! He's such a child!_

Yohji made fast work of the clothes, piling them in the corner. That was about as good as it was going to get without Yohji going to the laundry room.

Yohji came back toward him and guided Aya back to sit down on the bed. He could fell all his muscles tensing again.

"Aya, I'm not going to hurt you. Not unless you want me to, and even then only to a certain degree." Aya snorted at that. What, were they going to kiss a few times and then walk away? Aya was pretty sure he knew what Yohji wanted from him, and it was going to hurt.

"Did Kaito hurt you? I don't mean emotionally, I mean…did he hurt you?" Aya's eyes widened at that.

"Define hurt, please," Aya was confused as hell. If this wasn't leading to sex then what were they doing?

"Well, I guess the real question I should be asking is how much blood was there? Was there a spot or two, or more?" Aya looked away.

"Shit, Aya! I'm going to kill that little bastard!"

"Its fine, Yohji," Aya caught him by the arm.

"It is not fucking fine, Aya! He practically raped you!" Aya clapped a hand over Yohji's mouth to keep him from shouting anymore.

"It was consensual. I just didn't expect it to hurt that much. He told me I'd enjoy it and I didn't. That's all there was to it. Don't read too much into it." The mood was officially killed, as far as Aya was concerned.

"I don't care if it was consensual. There should never ever be more than a drop of blood, and usually not even that! It should sting a little bit, but then its supposed to feel good. Did any of it feel good?" Yohji yanked Aya into his arms, startling him.

"No," Aya answered honestly. He carefully drew away from Yohji.

"I'm tired, I should go," he smiled sadly. He didn't know what to do.

"I want you to sleep in here tonight. Can I hold you while you sleep?" Yohji sounded like he was going to cry.

"Only if you stop asking me questions that I don't want to answer." Yohji drew away and nodded, his eyes misted over with tears. Was Yohji really that sensitive? Aya didn't know what to think of those tears.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Yohji didn't know what to do with the knowledge of what Kaito had done to Aya. He didn't know who Aya had once been, but he knew enough that Aya was always self-sacrificing. He probably hadn't even complained about the pain. And after having gone through that, he'd been dumped.

Yohji looked down at Aya's sleeping face. He hadn't slept a wink, but once Aya had situated himself in his arms the redhead had fallen asleep pretty fast. He'd been surprised, to say the least, that Aya had slept so easily beside him knowing that he always slept alone.

Yohji nudged him gently awake when he heard the sounds of Omi and Ken puttering around. Aya wouldn't want to be late.

Aya sat up so fast that Yohji nearly fell out of the bed.

"Where…" Aya looked at him curiously before he registered where he was. Yohji chuckled. That was so cute.

"Omi's making breakfast." Yohji slid out of the bed and grabbed a change of clothes. He'd been so eager to hold Aya that he hadn't undressed. Aya had taken it as his cue to sleep fully dressed as well.

He smiled as Aya blushed and bolted from the room before Yohji could get so much as his shirt off. Yohji changed slowly and ran a brush through his hair. He knew that if he dressed quickly he'd be waiting at the bathroom door to brush his teeth anyway. Aya would've attended to his hair and teeth first, claiming the bathroom. He left the bedroom just in time for Aya to shove past him into his own room. _No need to be rude!_ He laughed as he thought about how Aya had been so shocked to find out he was rude.

Yohji quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face. He nearly bumped into Aya on his way out.

"Omi screamed," Aya said as he raced down the stairs. Yohji followed suit. What the hell could Omi be screaming about?

"Who would do something like this?" Omi was sobbing in Ken's shirt when they came down the stairs.

"You okay? We heard screaming," Yohji nearly ran right into Aya when the redhead did a dead stop, looking around.

"Someone killed a cat and nailed it to the wall of the shop. Window's cut open, too, not smashed. Expert work, if you ask me." Ken said, ushering Omi over into a chair.

"Where is it?" Yohji followed Aya into the shop. There, crucified to the wall over a spray painted white cross was an Abyssinian. Its head was on the counter with a knife in it.

"Well, if it were Kaito it would be a Balinese cat, if he even figured out our code names. I don't think he had a chance to, though. I called out your name when I got shot, not your code. And Omi and Ken didn't call out to either one of us. I'd turned off my earpiece, and you always turn yours off." Yohji had no idea who the hell would do something like that.

"Kaito would never hurt an animal. He was always…"

"Just like you would always be kind to others and never lift a finger to defend yourself? You don't know him anymore, Aya, any more than he knows you," Yohji took his chances and kissed Aya's cheek.

"What are we going to do? We should call the police, but…"

"We're going to clean it up and I'm going to call to get the window fixed. Then I'm going to start fishing for information on Kaito." Aya said like it didn't bother him at all. Yohji knew better. Aya tried to hide it, but he liked animals.

"Okay, yeah. Um. I'm going to bury it in the backyard." Yohji wasn't going to throw the poor thing in the garbage.

"Do what you want. I don't care. Just…get it out of here!" Aya walked over to the carcass and ripped the knives out of its paws that held it to the wall. Yohji caught it in his hands before Aya could shove it against his chest to get him going. He felt sorry for the cat, but he didn't want to be covered in it.

Aya then picked the head up by the knife and handed it to him. "Seriously gross," Yohji wrinkled his nose at the smell.

"You going to be okay, Aya?" Yohji asked, looking him in the eye. Aya nodded and started soaking a cloth to clean up the blood.

"I'll take it," Ken held out his hands for the cat. Yohji nodded and handed it to him. Ken was better at that stuff, mostly because Ken was the one who was going to have to comfort Omi by making sure he didn't 'hurt' the cat even though it was dead. Yohji would've dug a hole and dropped the cat in. Ken was going to properly bury it. He supposed the cat deserved that much. But he'd just rather see it done and over with. Besides, he needed to stay by Aya's side to make sure he was fine.

He grabbed another cloth and helped scrub the blood out of the wall. The blood came out, but there was no way that cross was going away. And as far as the counter, it was going to be stained, but they could always cover it up with flowers.

Yohji was surprised how methodical Aya was, scrubbing down the counter and then getting on the phone right away to call in a repairman for the window.

They wanted to keep it low key, but they didn't have a choice but to call in one of the repairmen that worked for Kritiker. They couldn't let on that there was something wrong to anyone other than other operatives. They still had to maintain this cover regardless, so it was better if there wasn't anything for people to talk about.

It only took about an hour for the man to come. Meanwhile they went to work in the shop, readying things for when they opened. None of them ate breakfast, the worry was enough to completely obliterate their appetites.

Every chance Yohji got he kissed Aya, trying to take his mind off it, whether it was a kiss to his cheek, his forehead, his neck. Just quick deposited kisses that Omi and Ken would miss.

Of course as soon as the shop was ready to open Kaito was waiting with an energetic smile on his face. Yohji half hoped the little bastard would be targeted by association. It would've been way better to come in and see Kaito crucified to the wall with his head on the counter. That Yohji could've dealt with easily. The cat was just disturbing, because it wasn't just any cat. It was Aya's code.

Author's notes: I know what you're thinking. How the hell is this a somewhat romantic story? Well, its not yet. But its getting there slowly. =)


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Aya had a plan for this mission that he was sure none of the others would agree to. It had to be done, though, to flush out whomever the hell was stalking him? He could deal with this threat. He wasn't about to let one of the others be targeted because of a misconception.

He knew he was being watched, he just couldn't quite figure out from where. It was pissing him off. Yohji was silent the entire drive to the warehouse.

"Aya?" Yohji finally spoke once Aya parked the car. Aya pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't need any shit from Yohji right now.

"Can I have a kiss for good luck?" Was he serious?

"Grow up," Aya snapped, climbing out of the car and grabbing his sword. Yohji looked kind of put out for a second, but then went into mission mode. Good. Aya couldn't afford to let Yohji think he cared right now. Not when he was going to…

He motioned for Yohji to take the other side of the building. There was one target this time, so the boys were staying home. It was just the two of them, just like he needed. If he were going to pull anything like this with the other two there they would try to stop him.

Aya silently slid inside the building. He kept to the shadows. This is where the man came to hide the trophies he took from his kills. He would be alone.

Aya caught sight of the target. Just as he was nearing he was beaten to the punch as Yohji's wires caught the man_. Damn it!_

Aya waited until the man was dead before he lunged for Yohji, grabbing him by the arm and swinging him hard at the wall. The blonde didn't even have time to react before Aya punched him square in the jaw, then the stomach. He grabbed his arm again and swung him forward only to slam him against the wall.

"The hell…" Yohji choked out as Aya shoved the sword against his neck.

"Who am I?" Aya demanded.

"Aya…"

"Wrong!" Aya pressed the sword harder.

"R…"

"Wrong!" now there was a thin line of blood from where the sword was pressing too hard.

"Abyssinian." Yohji choked out.

"Louder!" Aya stared into his eyes, daring him to disobey. Yohji had to think he didn't care that he was hurting him. He wouldn't let them target Yohji by accident.

"Abyssinian! You fucker!" Yohji shouted back at him, glaring at him.

"Good," Aya released him and walked away like nothing had happened.

"The hell is wrong with you, Aya? What did I do? You pissed because I stole your kill? Is that it?" Yohji stood outside the car, obviously unsure if he was welcomed inside.

"I was saving your life, be grateful and get in the car," he wasn't going to wait all night. If Yohji didn't get in…Yohji slid into the passenger seat, still looking confused.

"How was beating the shit out of me saving my life? You were the only danger to me in there!" Yohji looked hurt. _Shit_. Aya felt bad, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

"Whomever left that gift this morning was leaving a message for me. Think about it. When we hunt down our targets we always wait until we know who's behind it all, cut off the head of the snake, so to speak. I don't want the next gift left for me to be your head, so I made you tell our enemies that I'm the one their looking for. Now you're in the clear until they can kill me. There's no way they would've thought Omi and Ken were the leaders of Weiss. So it had to be either you or me. I keep to myself most of the time, you are the one who draws the most attention to yourself. I didn't want there to be any misconceptions," Aya wasn't about to lie about it now that he'd done what he'd really come to do.

"Are you freaking kidding me? Maybe we would've had more time to come up with a plan if you hadn't done something that stupid!" Yohji shouted, punching the dashboard.

"No, they would've done something like bombed us. At least right now they have a primary target. I'm a big boy, Yohji. I can take care of myself." Aya caught Yohji's fist before the man could hit his car again. He'd forgive it once, but not twice.

"And I can't?" Now Yohji was getting really pissed, Aya could hear it in his voice. He wasn't shouting anymore, his voice had evened out and Aya knew that was a sign of serious rage.

"No, you can't. You go out drinking every damned night. You barely manage to stumble home sometimes, and rarely ever do you come home alone. You bring people into our home, people that you don't know anything about!" Aya'd already had about enough of this talk already. He was starting to get a migraine.

"I haven't done that ever since we had that first drinking game, Aya! Because you're the only one I want! I swear I won't ever go back to that other than on a mission! I've told you I love you a thousand times over and you decided to make me the one to write your death warrant? How could you!" Yohji was going to attack him once they got out of the car. He didn't mind. Yohji was entitled.

Aya climbed out of the car and stood still while Yohji stormed toward him.

"There's no sense in arguing about something that's already done, Yohji. I'll make it up to you. Go upstairs and get undressed," that was better than a fight, right? Aya didn't care either way.

"Do you really think that will make this go away, Aya? That I've just been dying to screw your brains out so bad that I'll forget what you just forced me to do? I want you so bad it hurts. But you just made me kill the one person I love more than my own life. I…just get away from me. I can't deal with you right now," Yohji was walking away? What the hell was going on?

Aya didn't know how to deal with that. He could fight, he could give himself over for a beating or worse, to sex, but being left alone hurt more than he ever would've expected.

He grabbed his sword and headed into the house. He wanted to run after Yohji, but then what? He didn't know if he could make this better.

Author's notes: thanks layla-xd for your review. =)


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Finally there was some quiet. He'd listened to Omi and Ken chew Aya out about what he'd done for the past twenty minutes now. Aya hadn't said a word. Normally he'd have glared and stormed off, but he was taking it. Yohji knew Aya didn't feel guilty, so he had no idea why the man put up with it.

Yohji blew out a puff of smoke, this was the only thing calming him down to let him think about things. He hadn't even bothered to change out of his mission gear, he'd gone straight for the bed and the smokes.

Yeah, Aya had screwed up pretty bad, but in his own way he'd tried to apologise. Yohji could tell by the way he'd been standing that Aya was going to stand there and let him smack him around a bit. Then he'd offered sex, something Yohji knew he really didn't think he would enjoy. He'd seen the look on Aya's face when he'd walked away. Part of it was confusion, but the other part was hurt.

He'd said a few quick words to Omi to let him know what was going on, and then he'd gone to his room to light a few cigarettes. He thought it was probably the best way to keep Aya from coming in and kicking his ass for ratting him out. Aya wouldn't come in with this much smoke in the air.

It had seemed like a good plan at the time. But now he found he wanted Aya to come in. They needed to talk.

Yohji put out his cigarette and slid off the bed. He might not have a lot of time left with Aya, so he'd better make things right between them so that he could enjoy what time they did have.

Besides, leaving Aya alone when he knew he was a target was a really stupid move on his part. He'd left Aya alone outside. He hadn't even thought that someone might be there right that second.

Yohji knew that Aya would be in his room. There was no way he was going to stay anywhere near Omi, not without having the lecture continue. And Ken was with Omi. There really wasn't anywhere else for him to brood.

Yohji walked down the hall to Aya's room and opened the door. It was very unlikely that Aya would've let him in if he'd asked.

"Aya, can we talk?" Yohji squinted to find Aya's profile in the dark. He was on his bed, doing…something. It looked like he was stitching his jacket. But why do it in the dark?

"Haven't we said enough?" Aya asked, his voice sounding worn out. It was different, though. It wasn't just worn out from hurt, it was like his body was worn out. What the hell was he doing?

"I need to be alone, Yohji. Its where I should be in the first place. None of this should've happened between us. Its making us weak."

"I don't give a shit, Aya!" Yohji hit the lights. Aya flinched, but continued what he was doing, which wasn't stitching his uniform, it was stitching his arm. There was a huge gash from his shoulder all the way down to his wrist.

"When were they here, Aya?" Yohji couldn't see any signs of entry, so maybe Aya'd been on the balcony with his sword.

"Hn," was all he got in answer.

"I get that you want to do the whole self-sacrifice thing. But you have to at least let us help. Okay? You made yourself their primary target, but you can't fight them alone. Neither of us are stupid enough to think there's only one of them." Yohji paused, looking at the wound again. Wait. He'd seen wounds like that before!

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Yohji found Aya's sword laying haphazardly on the floor with blood on it. He stepped over it and stormed toward him.

"Yohji, I…" Yohji smacked him hard enough to make him fall over.

"Trying to kill yourself? And then what? Decided you didn't want to die after all?"

"I didn't want to die," Aya said, sitting up. Yohji would've hit him again if Aya weren't losing blood already.

He grabbed Aya's arm and the needle and started stitching carefully.

"Then why cut yourself?" Yohji was as gentle as possible. The way Aya had been stitching himself was akin to how he'd been stitching Kaito before. He was making it hurt.

"I had to hurt and you wouldn't do it, so I did it myself. I offered for you to do it, but you refused me," Aya wasn't looking at him. That was going to change. Yohji spared a second to grab Aya's jaw and force him to turn his head to look at him.

"Couldn't you have punched yourself or something? Run at a wall? I don't know! But damn! This is really deep. You could've lost the use of your arm!" Yohji resumed his stitches, going as fast as he could.

"People hesitate at the last second when they hit themselves. It's a fact. Besides, I know how to avoid arteries and ligaments. I didn't cut anything that matters. Its just skin."

"Yeah, okay, cause that excuses it," Yohji snorted. He tied it off and Aya snipped it before he had a chance to look for the scissors.

"What do you want from me, Yohji? I thought I knew, but…I don't understand." Yohji smiled sadly, looking Aya in the eye. He reached up and lay his hand against his cheek.

"What the hell am I going to do with you?" Yohji leaned in and kissed him, carefully nudging his mouth open. Aya let him, but didn't try to quicken things like before. He was letting him take things slow.

Right now Yohji wanted nothing more than to press him back against the bed and make love to him, but not when he was looking so pale.

Aya probably wouldn't have gotten to finish his stitches if he'd continued on as brutally as he had been. Yohji considered himself lucky that he'd been there to take over. He could tell by the taste of Aya's mouth that he'd licked the wound a bit before stitching. He wondered what else he'd wasted time doing, if anything.

"Planning on wearing that orange sweater for the rest of your life?" Yohji snickered as he pulled away. It was one of the few things Aya owned that would cover a wound that size. Aya hadn't been about to broadcast it to them, so it would've been at least a couple weeks before it looked decent enough to show.

"I was going to break something in the shop when I'm alone so that I can claim that I was hurt at work. Then there would've been no questions. I'm not stupid. I wasn't about to let Omi and Ken or you see it until I could come up with how it had happened. I didn't do it for attention. I did it to calm myself down."

"Ever had to calm yourself down like that before?" Yohji wondered how many times Aya had gotten away with it. They were hurt on missions all the time. He hadn't even thought once to take stock of how many injuries everyone received to know if any were self inflicted. Hell, he'd never even thought any of them would do something like this! He sure as hell hadn't ever done something like that before! But then again he blew steam with sex and drinking, Ken with soccer and Omi, and Omi…what did Omi do to get rid of his troubles?

"None of your business," Aya answered, which was a definite yes.

"When was the last time?" Yohji laughed when Aya held up his freshly stitched arm.

"Smart ass! No really! Where was it?"

Aya just rolled his eyes and pulled off his shirt, which, Yohji had expected to show a scar that Aya was going to point to. Instead the redhead climbed under the sheets and patted the bed beside him.

Yohji slid off his coat and shirt and climbed into the bed beside Aya. He lay his head on the pillow beside Aya's, only a few breaths away. He ran a hand through Aya's hair.

Aya smiled at him. Seeing Aya in a dark moment had been worth it, he'd finally seen him really smile. It wasn't the smile he used when Aya-Chan was around. This was different.

"If you weren't only half-conscious right now I would make love to you."

"I don't need to be conscious for that. Go ahead," Aya said, his smile vanishing like it had never been there at all.

"Like hell. I want you awake, I want you healthy. I won't hurt you." Yohji kissed his forehead before turning onto his back.

Aya leaned in close to his ear "I'm beginning to wonder if you really want me, Yohji. You've walked away from it twice now."

"Trust me, Aya. When the time is right, I'll show you how much I want you." Yohji expected Aya to turn away and sleep on his other side. He was shocked when Aya dropped his head down onto his shoulder and wrapped an arm loosely around him.

"Night, Aya," Yohji smiled as Aya grunted in response.

Author's notes: thanks chinchan for your review. =)


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Aya's eyes slid open. He remembered Yohji telling him that Ken was going to cover his shift so that he could sleep. Yohji had told the others that Aya had been hurt on the mission. It was as good of an explanation as any Aya could've come up with.

He'd even cooked some liver to get Aya's iron levels up a bit. Aya had eaten quickly and then went back to sleep. Now his alarm clock said it was five in the afternoon.

He supposed he'd been lucky Yohji had come in and found him. If he hadn't Aya knew he might've bled out because he was spending too much time trying to make it hurt.

The only thing he regretted was that Yohji hadn't taken him up on his offer. He didn't care that it hurt like hell, he wanted to give himself to Yohji to show him that he really did care. It was more than when he'd given himself to Kaito. He wanted Yohji to have everything he wanted. He would give him anything.

Aya didn't bother putting a shirt on. He was exhausted and the summer heat was filling the apartment because they didn't bother with air conditioning. He threw on a pair of jeans and made his way down the stairs.

Omi was the first one he ran into, while the boy was cooking in the kitchen. Omi's eyes widened at the sight of the stitches on his arm.

"Does it hurt?" Omi asked. What a stupid question. Aya only grunted in response. That wasn't worth a real answer.

"Are you hungry? I'm cooking steak. Yohji said red meat will help get your strength back. You should sit down." Aya glared at him. He wasn't an invalid. He was a little drowsy, but he wasn't going to collapse.

Aya set the kettle to boil. He needed some tea.

"Kaito stopped by earlier. He said he had to desperately talk to you. I told him you were sleeping. He looked really freaked out," Ken said as he entered the room.

"Did you tell him I was injured?" Aya asked. He hoped they hadn't. Kaito didn't need to know. The last thing he wanted was for that idiot to put two and two together.

"There was another gift left for you this morning," Yohji said, startling him. Did they have some sort of radar that told them he was awake?

"What was it?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Abyssinian was written on the wall in blood, and there was a red haired doll crucified to the table on another spray painted cross. I don't know how the hell they got in, either, because there were no signs of forced entry. Our alarm didn't even go off," how could Yohji sound so calm. Aya could feel his heart hammering in his chest. He wasn't scared exactly, more worried.

If they would just show themselves then he could kill them and be done with it. But he didn't know what to do when he was being hunted like he hunted the targets. What had he done to piss someone off that bad? Okay, stupid question. He knew he pissed people off to no end. He killed people and shut people down. There was plenty reasons to kill him. But why just him? He would've thought the messages would've been to Weiss, not just himself.

It didn't matter. He was satisfied that they understood that he was the one they were looking for. They could kill him, but the others would be safe as long as he distanced himself from them. But that was going to be incredibly hard with Yohji following him around constantly.

What he wanted to know was why they hadn't attacked him on the roof, or killed him while he slept.

Yohji was in front of him suddenly. He'd been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't been paying attention. Yohji's lips fastened tightly to his own, his tongue pushing quickly into his mouth for a passionate kiss. Aya clung to him, giving his own energy into the kiss.

Yohji yanked him flush up against him. He could feel Yohji's hardness, caught himself reaching for it. The boys were still in the room. Aya pulled away, blushing bright red. He'd forgotten himself the second Yohji had touched him.

He looked at Omi and Ken, who were blushing as dark as he was, and looking away.

Was now the time? He was pretty sure it was. He grabbed Yohji's hand and pulled, dragging him all the way to his room.

"Aya?" Yohji sounded unsure of what to do.

"I need to be connected to you," Aya explained. He knew he wasn't using the exact words that he needed. He couldn't really even explain it to his own mind.

"Are you feeling well enough to…I want to make love to you, Aya. Is that alright?" Yohji was drawing up against him again. Yohji linked their fingers and brought Aya's hand toward his erection, letting him feel his need. Aya nodded, drawing away to start working on his pants.

"Aya, not so fast. We should take this slow," Yohji pleaded. Aya shrugged, but continued to pull his pants down and off. He reached for Yohji's clothes. They couldn't exactly do it with their clothes on. Well, they sort of could, but it would be uncomfortable, to say the least.

"Why do you want to draw it out?" Aya asked, yanking Yohji's zipper down.

"Because I love you and I want to show you that it can be good, that I can make you feel good," Yohji looked sort of sad. Did he really not want him?

"This isn't about me, its about you. You've slept with countless others in the past and you don't know how to take your pleasure? I find that hard to believe," Aya snorted, yanking Yohji's pants down to his ankles.

Yohji stepped out of them, but caught Aya before he could turn around. Aya was confused as Yohji kissed him again. What the hell was he doing? Aya didn't care, Yohji's kisses always made him weak in the knees.

"You don't have to do any work, Aya, let me do everything." Yohji whispered against his lips before trailing his kisses down his neck to his chest, nipping at his collarbone before moving down further to his right nipple. Aya gasped as Yohji bit down lightly while using his hand to pinch the other. Why did that feel so good? Aya groaned, surrendering completely. Yohji could do whatever he wanted. This was about what Yohji wanted.

Aya' s fingers tangled lightly in Yohji's hair as the man kissed down his stomach. He nearly shouted when Yohji's mouth wrapped around his shaft. No one had ever done _that _to him before! He paused, why did this seem so familiar?

He let that thought leave his mind as he looked down at Yohji. Yohji's eyes were so beautiful as they looked at him. How could Yohji's eyes look so passionate right now, why did he look like he was enjoying himself?

Aya's pleasure was mounting, he gasped, trembling all over. Something was about to happen! Yohji drew back suddenly. Aya gasped at the loss, feeling like he'd been denied something.

"Can't have you coming yet, Aya. Not until I'm inside you," Yohji's hands ran up his sides as he rose to his feet.

"I need you to get on your hands and knees on the bed." Aya could feel his heart thudding in his chest, preparing for the pain as he did as he was told. He was actually afraid.

He could feel Yohji behind him, hear him opening a bottle. He didn't want to look to see whatever it was.

Something nudged at his opening. He gasped. It definitely wasn't Yohji's member, it looked way to thick to be what was massaging him before sliding inside. It was wet and actually slid inside easy. That was strange.

Aya chanced a look back to see Yohji's hand at his rear. He blushed hard and turned his head back. Why was he doing that? Another finger nudged at him. Aya's eyes widened. That stung, but it didn't really hurt. Another finger joined way too quickly. Aya hissed.

"Relax, Aya, and it won't hurt. I have to stretch you or its going to hurt really bad. Okay?" Aya wanted to believe that as Yohji's fingers slid in and out of him. Aya gasped as Yohji's fingers suddenly struck something inside of him. What the hell was that!

"Like that?" Yohji asked, his voice sounding hoarse. Aya could tell he was just barely holding himself back. Aya grunted in response, unable to find words.

"Okay, baby. Relax, I'm about to enter you," Aya tried to force himself to calm down, but the memory of the pain from last time had him stiffening up. What surprised him though, was that he was still hard.

Yohji flipped him over onto his back, leaning over him and pulling his legs around his waist. Yohji's eyes were filled with so much love that Aya's breath caught in his throat. Yohji's member was pushing at him, definitely larger than the fingers. It hurt. His eyes misted with tears, but it didn't hurt as bad as it had with Kaito. It was slick, helping the slow entrance.

"I love you so much," Yohji whispered, staring into his eyes as he started moving, pulling out of him only to shove back in. Aya gasped as Yohji hit that spot again. Yohji hadn't lied about it feeling good! So why hadn't it felt good with Kaito? Aya didn't want to think about that. Instead he focused on Yohji, almost shouting every time he hit that spot. Aya scratched his nails into Yohji's sides before grabbing onto him, one hand on the back of his neck to pull him down for a passionate kiss, and the other to grab his waist to add his own thrusts to the rhythm. Damned if he was going to let Yohji do all the work.

"Damn, Aya!" Yohji gasped against his lips before Aya plundered his mouth again, whimpering with need. That pressure was mounting within him again, just like Yohji had said. Only this time it was bubbling over. Aya gasped as he came. It was a strange feeling, it left him gasping for his breath like he'd just run a marathon. He could feel Yohji doing the same thing inside of him, filling him with warmth.

"I love you," Aya finally admitted, giving him a tired smile.

"Love you too, Aya," Yohji collapsed down beside him, pulling in into his arms to cuddle. Aya smiled. It was an amazing start to his day. Who gave a damn if assassins wanted his head. He had Yohji in his arms. He'd felt Yohji's need for him and he'd more than given in. He'd claimed Yohji as much as the man had claimed him.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Yohji couldn't help the big goofy grin on his face as he showered. Aya had been long gone from the bed when he'd woken up. He had expected as much, Aya wouldn't really sleep through the day like he would. Aya had probably waited until he fell asleep and then went to the flower shop to work whether the others liked it or not.

He didn't care. He'd had Aya's heart and soul for those few moments. It was amazing to see those beautiful eyes looking up at him with such need, such devotion.

Yohji stepped out of the shower and towelled off before sliding on a pair of leather pants and a black muscle shirt. He was dressing to keep Aya's eyes on him. He'd seen the way Aya looked at him in leather. It was the same way he looked at Aya when he was dressed to kill.

He left the bathroom and padded down the stairs, feeling completely elated. Now if he could just find his favourite redhead he'd be in heaven. Ah! There he was! Aya was at the table eating the steak that Omi had cooked for him. It was rare, just like Aya liked it, like it was still trying to run off the plate.

Aya grinned and winked at him before his face returned to its normal cold expression.

"Manx was skulking around the shop a few minutes ago. I'm guessing there's a mission tonight." Aya told him inbetween bites.

"Do they know about the stunt you pulled? You'd better hope not!" Yohji sat down across from him. Aya just grunted in response. That was a no.

"Are you sore at all?" He was pretty sure that even thought he'd been careful Aya would still have a twinge of pain.

"A bit, but then I did cut pretty deep." Aya held up his arm and flexed the muscles a bit.

"I don't mean because of that," Yohji chuckled. That was so cute.

"Then what do you mean?" Aya was definitely clueless, searching himself over for any other wounds. He suddenly looked up and blushed bright crimson.

"No!" Aya hissed at him, blushing even redder if that was possible. Yohji reached across the table and brushed the hair out of Aya's eyes.

"I'm trying to eat, knock it off," Aya warned, taking another bite. Yohji had to laugh at that. They'd just made love around an hour ago and Aya was still reacting like Yohji was going to lunge across the table and maul him.

"I don't really want a mission tonight. I want to make love to you all night long until you can't even walk in the morning."

"Congratulations," Aya drawled. Yohji knew that Aya would never turn down a mission.

"Asshole," Yohji snickered.

"Bitch," Aya retorted, startling him. Aya grinned, dipping his fingers into his glass of water and flicking it at him.

Yohji huffed a sigh as Manx strolled inside. He'd been enjoying Aya's company, he didn't want it interrupted. He'd had Aya in a playful mood!

He wanted to grab Aya's hand and link their fingers together as they headed into the mission room, but he didn't necessarily want Kritiker to find out about them. He didn't know what they would do if they found out. They might think it effected the team's dynamics.

"You don't need to accompany us, Balinese, there are no girls to rescue this time," Manx told him. Yeah, that was usually his attitude.

"I'm past that stage, Manx." Yohji winked at her before taking his seat on the couch. She looked positively shocked.

"This is strictly an information retrieval mission," she handed Aya an envelope.

"What, no video from Persia?" That was definitely odd.

"Not this time. Bombay, your job is to hack into the security system. Siberian will cover you. Abyssinian, your job is to cover Balinese while he retrieves the data." Yohji was glad that she'd immediately changed the plans to include him. Aya wasn't good at retrieving data, he was good at killing things.

He still didn't like that there wasn't a video. He looked at her suspiciously, wondering what the hell was going on.

"Relax, Balinese. Someone hacked into our security systems and our live feed isn't working. It will be up and running for the next mission, I assure you."

"But who could hack into Kritiker's files? I mean everything is so…how is that even possible?" Omi looked spooked.

"We haven't figure that out yet. When we do we will send you after those evil beasts. Now read the mission report and get yourselves ready," she was being curt with them. She obviously didn't want to talk about it. She was obviously spooked as well.

"Manx. We've noticed that we're being followed. It may be by the same pursuer They have even been leaving threatening gifts for Abyssinian. Dead cats and crucified dolls." Yohji could've killed Ken right now. The boy should've kept his damned mouth shut! He didn't want Kritiker to be stalking them to make sure they were safe!

"Why didn't you put that in your report?" She was pissed now.

"Because we can take care of it ourselves!" Aya snapped, coming toward her. Yohji was half-expecting him to punch her. Instead Aya just got up in her face, his eyes only a few inches from hers, warning her to back the hell off!

Shit, this was going to hell fast!

"We wanted them to think that we didn't know about them, that way we could come up with a strategy. And being that Kritiker was broken into, it was a pretty damned good plan!" Yohji was trying to keep the peace, but it was hard when Aya was being a hothead.

"I will report this to Persia, but we will keep it out of our files," Manx conceded. Aya nodded and backed off.

"You boys take care of yourselves," Manx turned and left, just like that. Yohji was surprised she cared enough to tell them that.

He turned to Aya and noticed that the man's hands were clenched so tight that his nails were cutting into his hands.

He wrapped his arms around Aya and kissed him gently on the lips. Aya visibly relaxed, leaning into him.

"We'll get them, Yohji," Aya assured him. Yohji wasn't so sure. Aya was a hothead, and Yohji knew that he couldn't be by his side twenty four seven, Aya wouldn't allow it. Eventually Aya was going to take off on his own to confront this problem. Yohji was going to have to be on his guard, pretend that he didn't mind so that he could follow him from the shadows.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Aya didn't like this place. There were too many places for others to hide behind. Plus, he knew that someone really _was_ hiding, because he could feel it. He purposely lagged behind after checking each room. He wouldn't let Yohji go ahead of him at each doorway until he was sure that it was safe, and then he would let Yohji go ahead quite a bit.

Yohji didn't seem to notice his strategy, which consisted of nothing but making sure Yohji was safe from guards, and safe from those that hunted him. He didn't want Yohji hurt by accident when he was the target.

"Abyssinian, what are you doing back there?" Yohji hissed, finally turning to notice how far behind Aya was.

Aya didn't say anything, he just pointed to the master computer that was behind Yohji. Yohji looked suspicious, but went to work sliding a disk into the system and copying everything.

Sensing movement, Aya swung his sword, just barely hitting the dagger that was aimed for him. The room was deathly silent. Aya knew that the dagger had come from the left, but where? He scanned his eyes everywhere, trying to find even the slightest movement. It was deathly still.

Yohji looked over his shoulder at him, frowning and obviously trying to figure out what was going on.

"What did I just hear?" Yohji asked suspiciously.

"I accidentally hit my sword on the desk," Aya lied. He wasn't about to tell Yohji he'd nearly been stabbed in the shoulder. Yohji would alert security by flicking on the lights so that he could find the bastards.

Once Yohji had the data Aya stepped aside and let him pass. Yohji, not missing a beat, looked down at the dagger on the ground, then back up at Aya.

"You're going ahead of me, Abyssinian," Yohji hissed under his breath, grabbing Aya's arm and trying to force him ahead. Aya yanked his arm away.

"On three," Aya mouthed. Yohji nodded. On the count of three the two of them ran as hard as they could. This was not the place to fight his enemies. They needed to do it on their terms, not in a place where the guards would kill them as surely as their enemy.

Aya stumbled when a dagger stabbed into his calf muscle. He did his best to ignore it and keep going. It was hard. Especially when the next dagger hit his lower back. He shoved Yohji ahead of him as they ran, desperate to get him out of the line of fire. But why was it only daggers? Did that mean that there was only one? No, that was stupid. There was definitely more than one person, but it seemed like only one was attacking while the others stood down.

Aya gasped as the next dagger slammed his sword hand, making him drop it. Like hell! Aya turned around and ran back for it. There was no way he was going to be unarmed!

He grabbed it in his other hand and continued to run. Whomever was after him was almost completely silent.

Yohji was by his side suddenly, grabbing his wrist and pulling him faster. He was glad. His wounds would've slowed him down if it weren't for Yohji. The next dagger hit his shoulder.

Aya lunged out the window. They didn't have time to get to the door. Aya hated running away. He wanted to turn around and face the bastard! But it wouldn't do to face him while already losing blood.

Yohji was right behind him, shoving him forward to the car. Aya climbed into the passenger side, starting the engine while Yohji climbed in the drivers seat. He wasn't going to be able to drive, not with the knife in his lower back keeping him hunched forward so that he didn't shove it in deeper.

"Siberian, Bombay, we're heading back. Mission completed," Yohji said into his earpiece as he sped down the street before their pursuer got the chance to dagger their tires.

"Get the first aid kits ready, Aya has a few knives in him." Aya wanted to start pulling the knives out, they were uncomfortable on top of the pain, but if he did he knew he'd bleed out. The one in his hand pissed him off the most.

"I can't believe you knew they were there and you didn't warn me! We could`ve been killed!" Yohji shouted, slamming the hell of his hand on the steering wheel.

"No, if you would've been too worried about my safety we wouldn't have completed the mission. And you were never in danger until you threw yourself into the line of fire coming back for me." Aya looked away when Yohji glared at him. Aya knew Yohji had the right to be angry. He'd be pissed if Yohji had done it to him.

"I'm going to enjoy stitching you up, Aya," Yohji warned in a tone that told Aya that he was going to make it hurt.

"You will only stitch my back. I can take care of the rest myself." He knew that was a lie, there was no way he'd be able to take care of all the wounds as quickly as he needed to, especially with the wound in his hand.

"Omi and Ken are going to help, you're going to sit there and let us." Aya said nothing, there was no point. Yohji was right and he knew it. It pissed him off that he was going to have to mend his coat.

Yohji parked in front of the flower shop and was already out of the car and at Aya's side by the time Aya managed to pull himself out of his seat. He hurt like hell.

Yohji helped him make his way inside. Aya cringed at the sound of Kaito's voice. Why the hell had Omi let him in?

Yohji left his side only to lock the door and close the blinds. Aya knew he must look rough by the pale faces that greeted him. Kaito's amongst them.

Aya yelped with Surprise when Yohji shoved him up on the table, positioning his foot on one of the chairs to get a better look at the knife. Aya shoved him away and pulled off his boot.

"Needle," Aya held out his hand to Omi. Omi reached around him and handed the needle to Yohji instead.

Aya glared at him, clenching his sword tight in his hand.

Ken came up behind Aya.

"You ready?" Ken asked. Aya nodded. He wanted to yell at him. Do you think I'm so weak that I'd say no? He grit his teeth to keep from making a sound as Ken pulled the knife out of his lower back. At the same time Omi pulled the knife out of his shoulder. Aya yanked the knife out of his own hand, then worked fast pulling off his coat and shirt so that they could get to all the wounds.

"Aya, you have to leave the city. You're not safe here. Come with me," Kaito pleaded. Aya had a feeling that Kaito wasn't saying this just because he'd seen the knives in. Omi had said he'd been desperate to talk to him in the morning.

"You'd better start talking, Kaito," Aya warned. If Kaito tried to clam up Aya was going to slash his throat. He couldn't believe that Kaito would know about something like this and not tell him!

"Okay. I was sent here as a scout. My job was to try to get a job here and find out who Abyssinian was. I admit to that. But when I saw you here, I…I thought somehow you were innocent. That my Ran was in danger, obliviously working with murderers. I've always loved you, so I thought I would get you to love me again and I'd take you away and keep you safe!" He looked away. Aya was pissed and Kaito couldn't even face him!

"I was doing my best to try to get your attention, but every time I tried you had a murderer's arms around you. I couldn't let someone like that taint your life! So I told the men I work for that there was an innocent in the line of fire and I would extract him. But then I saw you on that mission, and you were a murderer like the others. But I still loved you and wanted to take you away. You denied me at every chance. So I thought even more that if I figured out who Abyssinian was that you would be safe. That is, until the others heard Yohji call you by that name. I can still save you, though, Aya! Just come with me! I have connections that can make you a ghost!" Kaito turned to look at him again, this time with tears running down his cheeks.

"I'm already dead, being a ghost seems redundant, now doesn't it? I'm not a coward, Kaito, no matter how much you want me to be. I'm going to kill your employers. How many are there?" Aya stitched his hand as fast as he could.

"I'm sorry, Aya, I can't tell you that," Kaito started to back up.

"Yohji!" Aya shouted. Yohji let his wires fly, catching Kaito around the neck. He didn't put enough pressure to slice him, just to hold him in place. If Kaito was stupid enough to slice himself then that was his problem.

"Kaito, I won't ask again, I'll just start hurting you until you spill," Aya warned, holding his hand out to Omi for the kid to knot the stitches and clip them.

"I won't tell you, because if I do you'll try to go up against them. You can't win, Aya. You killed someone that they care about, and they're going to make you pay. On one of your missions you killed all of the guards, what you didn't know was that there was another vigilante hidden as one of the guards, his job was to get information. You killed the youngest of their group and they want you dead. They heard you through the boy's comm. Say something to the effect of 'Abyssinian, targets down' or something like that. But they didn't want the group dead, because they understand that you stand for the same thing they do. They just want revenge for the kid," Kaito shouted, grabbing at the wire and trying to pull, then shouting in pain as the wire sliced into his hand.

"I'm going to try to fight them anyway, might as well help me so I don't go in blind, if you love me so much." Still, not a word to answer the question.

"Yohji, tie him up in the mission room. I'll make him talk once my stitches are done." Aya picked up where Yohji left off with the stitches in his calf muscle.

"How could my sweet Ran become vicious enough to be the leader of Weiss?" Kaito shouted as Yohji dragged him off.

It was going to be a long night.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Yohji had expected Aya to scare him, maybe rough him up a little, but not this! Aya had started cutting Kaito, who shouted each time. Worst part was Aya was starting to enjoy it.

"You could make this easy on yourself, Kaito," Aya said in that cold tone that made Yohji wince.

"Look! Even your lover looks away! He can't stand to look at you right now!" Kaito shouted.

Yohji's head whipped around in time to catch Aya's shocked look. Aya looked pained for a split second, but then glared at him and turned back to Kaito.

"Good thing I don't need his approval," Aya hissed, this time grabbing Kaito's hand and holding it down while positioning his sword over Kaito's fingers.

"I'm finished with shallow cuts, Kaito. I think I'm going to start severing fingers. Only you can stop me." God! Yohji did not want to watch this!!!

"You wouldn't do this to me, Ran, not _you_!" Kaito pleaded, sobbing. Yohji reached out and lay a hand on Aya's shoulder. Aya had to stop now. They weren't evil like their targets. They didn't _do_ this sort of thing!

"Aya, we have to stop now. He's not going to talk," Yohji wrapped an arm loosely around Aya's chest and pulled him back.

"You said over and over that you wanted to save my life, but you didn't step up to the plate when it counted, now did you?" Aya taunted Kaito.

"They always get their mark, Aya! Always! I can't protect you any other way than to hide you!" Kaito shouted.

The doorbell from upstairs startled Yohji. Who would be stopping over at this time of night?

"Whether or not he talks is no longer up to us to decide," Yohji didn't like the smile on Aya's face. It was cruel.

"I called Kritiker and told them that he has all the information they need about the people that hacked into their systems and is hunting one of their teams. They seemed interested, to say the least."

"Aya!" Yohji shouted. What the hell was he thinking! Yeah, they needed all the intel they could get, but Kaito wasn't a bad person, just a mislead one. He'd done some dick things in the past, but he genuinely loved Aya, and for Aya to throw him to the wolves it was just…

"Do you think I'm wrong?" Aya asked, frowning at him. Yohji leaned in and kissed his forehead before wrapping his arms around him. There was no sense in making him regret what he'd done, he'd just brood over it later and feel guilty, maybe guilty enough to do something stupid and get himself killed.

"They have to die, Aya, or they'll keep coming for you," Yohji said, it was all he could offer right now, and it wasn't even a real answer.

"I guess he really has won, hasn't he? I wouldn't be able to hold you after seeing you torture someone. It disturbed him, but he holds you anyway!" Kaito shouted. Yohji mouthed a 'sorry' at Kaito over Aya's head. And he meant it. He wished he could free Kaito and get him the hell away from Kritiker, but there wasn't a thing he could do. And if he saved him then Aya might die.

"Yohji, would you take Aya upstairs," Manx said. Yohji was surprised Aya didn't snarl at her something about 'not taking him anywhere'. Aya surprised him again by actually letting Yohji lead him toward the stairs.

"Its fine, Aya, we should get you to bed anyway. You need your rest," Yohji said very quietly. He kept an arm loosely around Aya in case the redhead got dizzy from the bloodloss or anything. Aya had teetered three times while cutting Kaito, and not because he was squeamish.

"I guess she knows about us," Yohji chuckled. He wondered how long she had known. There was no way she would let on if he asked her, though.

"Yeah," Aya said quietly, not sounding at all like himself. He sounded worn out, and rightfully so.

Yohji steered him toward the bathroom first, wetting a cloth and cleaning the blood that had splashed on his hands, and arms without having to soak his stitched up hand. There was a bit on his face, too, but that was from him smearing some on his face accidentally from his gloves before they'd gotten home.

Yohji cleaned him up carefully, making sure that there wasn't a drop left. He didn't want Aya to worry about the details. The man needed to rest.

Yohji led him down the hall.

"My room," Aya said very quietly. Yohji nodded, leading Aya, who was looking pretty pale, into his bedroom. Aya wasn't pale from the bloodloss, he hadn't liked that side of himself any more than Yohji had.

Yohji helped him climb into the bed, pulling the blankets up over him. Aya's hand snaked out and grabbed his wrist when he tried to leave.

"Stay?" Yohji offered Aya the warmest smile he could in this situation. Aya needed his comfort right now, not to see the worry that etched itself into his mind. Kritiker had damned well better find out information from Kaito, or all this was for nothing! Aya was in pain, and it had better be worth it.

Yohji slid into the bed beside Aya, careful of his injuries.

"Thank you for stopping me," Aya said so quietly Yohji was sure he wasn't supposed to hear. He didn't answer, just gently pulled Aya up against his chest.

"Goodnight, Aya," Yohji whispered. Aya just grunted in response. Yohji knew he wouldn't be able to sleep, but if he stayed still long enough Aya would be able to, at least. Right now all he could think about was that he had almost lost Aya tonight. Had he not run back and grabbed Aya by the arm the next hit would've been right on target. He could bet that even Aya hadn't seen the guy throw it, nor had he the time to see where it would've hit. It would've gotten him right between the eyes.

Whomever the thrower was had to be pretty pissed at Yohji right now. Well, too damned bad for him!


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Aya felt so warm. His eyes slid open. He was in his room, and Yohji was holding him. He felt safe. Slowly he propped himself up on his elbow, wanting to see if Yohji was sleeping. The blonde smiled at him, looking exhausted.

"Thank you," Aya said, offering him a small smile. He knew Yohji had been disgusted by him, and yet he had stayed.

"I love you, no matter what demons you're fighting, Aya. Even if those demons become mine. You're my demon," Yohji's hand was warm as it cupped his cheek.

"The worst part was that I didn't want him to answer the question. I wanted to pull him apart piece by piece. And it wasn't because of anything he'd done, it was because…just because I could. I held his life in my hands and I wanted to rip it out piece by piece." It was hard to admit that out loud. It made him no better than the evil beasts that he killed.

"We all get urges, Aya. Yours might be a little more on the violent side, but that doesn't make it any different than ours. I gave into my urges every night, drinking and screwing anything that would come home with me. I was so weak that I gave in every night. You've fought against this. You've kept your killings to missions. And when it came down to it you stopped hurting Kaito. It might've been for my sake, I don't know, but the point is that you stopped." Yohji was right, of course. Aya hadn't thought of it that way, but it made sense. When you lived a life as intense as theirs it was hard to have moments of quiet, moments where you weren't driven by the need to destroy.

"What's Omi's urge?" Yohji grinned and shook his head, looking like he thought Aya was completely clueless.

"Internet porn and his ability to hack into any computer system. And Ken? His urges all come from that soccer ball of his." That made sense. He had caught Omi on porn sights a few times. Every time he would notice Omi would 'eep' and shut his laptop.

Aya looked down at Yohji, who was smiling lazily at him.

"Aya, I don't think any less of you, you know that, right?" Aya nodded, even though he still felt ashamed. Leaning down he pressed his lips against Yohji's, sliding his tongue along his lower lip in a plea for entrance.

Yohji groaned into his mouth as he opened to him. It was a beautiful sound, one that washed away all of Aya's anxiety. He slid his body over onto Yohji, covering him while kissing him passionately. Yohji's hands were roaming over his body. One hand was persistently moving through his hair while the other was stroking over his back. Aya was instantly hard. He briefly wondered how he had lived so long without Yohji there in his arms.

Aya moved his kisses downward, kissing hungrily down Yohji's chest, his hands stroking over Yohji's nipples while his lips moved lower. He needed Yohji now! He didn't have time to waste on too much foreplay. Besides, he didn't really know much about foreplay to begin with.

When he finally met his goal he swallowed it down in one quick movement that had Yohji shouting. He slid his mouth up and down the shaft a few times before drawing away. It wouldn't do to have Yohji come yet.

Aya crawled back up Yohji's body, straddling his hips. Yohji grinned, shoving his hips up against Aya to let him feel how hard he was. Aya groaned as he felt that length slide between the globes of his ass.

Aya sucked Yohji's fingers into his mouth, wetting them. Yohji grunted in approval before sliding his fingers out of his mouth and moving them to his entrance. Aya was still tight to the intrusion. He wasn't well versed in love making, so it still felt awkward.

The second finger made him feel full. The third had him hissing,

"You alright?" Yohji asked, running his free hand through his hair. Aya nodded. He was fine. It stung a bit, but it wasn't unbearable. It wasn't even a tenth of the pain that was ripping through his back right now as he let Yohji guide him down onto his member.

Aya gasped, throwing his head back as Yohji slid all the way inside,.

"Just relax," Yohji whispered, drawing him down for a kiss. Aya kissed him hungrily, tasting every inch of his mouth. He paused when he shifted, feeling Yohji's member move inside of him.

He might not be a pro in the bedroom, but he did understand the dynamics enough to rotate forward before slamming back down. Yohji hissed, his hands digging into Aya's hips to keep him from riding him too hard.

"You're going to rip your stitches," Yohji reminded him. Like he needed to be reminded?

Aya let Yohji guide him, sliding him up and down. Yohji's eyes were straining. He tilted Aya's hips a bit before slamming in a bit harder. Aya cried out as Yohji hit his sweet spot.

"Gotcha," Yohji smirked at him. Aya nodded in agreement, letting Yohji take over completely. He let Yohji guide his every movement. One day he would be good enough at this that he wouldn't need Yohji to help him. But right now he was content.

He came hard, with Yohji right behind him. As Aya threw his head back he noticed something. There was a tiny red light.

Aya blushed bright red and yanked the blanket around his waist.

"What's wrong, Aya?" Yohji asked, sitting up and kissing his temple.

"Someone's watching us!"


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Yohji took a drag of his cigarette. He wasn't going inside yet. Aya was on the warpath and he so didn't want to get in his way. Yohji had grabbed his mission gear and had dressed while Aya ripped through the house. As far as he knew, Omi and Ken were smart enough to get the hell out of his way.

Omi had only appeared to give Aya his coat, now mended, and then disappear back into his room, where Yohji supposed he and Ken were both sort of hiding out.

Regardless, he wasn't out here just for a smoke, he was looking around for signs of anything suspicious. Being a former detective had its pluses, he knew what to look for. Problem was there were so many vehicles that looked possibly suspicious. If he told Aya the man would go through every single one with that sword of his.

He'd called Kritiker behind Aya's back and told them about the camera. He could see their men scoping things out, trying to look like tourists. They would pass, too. The only reason Yohji knew they weren't was because he recognized one or two of them.

Aya was going to be even more pissed when he found out. Yohji had told Kritiker to hide it from Aya, but the man wasn't stupid. He'd notice.

Yohji nearly jumped out of his skin when the balcony door slammed open. He smiled at Aya, who looked ready to murder him. He had to admit that, even in mission gear with his sword ready and glaring at him, Aya was still damned hot.

"They called us!" Aya snarled.

"Come again?" Had Kritiker really been that stupid? Calling them to tell them that the lines were tapped or something? What sort of little yellow bus did these guys ride in on?

"Those assholes that threw knives at me called us! I swear I'm going to rip their lungs out when I find them!" Aya's voice evened out, completely cold. This so wasn't a good thing.

"What did they say?" Aya held out the phone to him so that he could play the message.

_Well now, Balinese, this was unexpected. I guess we know why you ran back and protected that asshole. He must be a damned good fuck to get that kind of loyalty. _

_And Abyssinian? How are your wounds? They healing alright? If you thought the knives hurt then you don't know anything about pain! We're going to make you scream, so be prepared. Of course nothing you do can really prepare you. We're just that damned good!_

_As far as the other two kitties go, stay out of our way and we'll stay out of yours. This does not concern children!_

"Damn." Yohji handed the phone back to Aya, who looked like he was contemplating smashing the thing.

"Aya, I hate to admit it, but you're going to have to lay low for a while. You can't work in the flower shop, and you sure as hell can't go on missions. We have to play this safe," Yohji winced when Aya's eyes darkened. He was a breath away from getting hit. He didn't want to get into a fist fight with Aya. First off, Aya was injured, and second, Yohji knew it was only a fifty fifty chance that he could defend himself against Aya.

"I'm not going to sit here and wait for them to come to me. I'm going to go and find them. You can stay or you can leave, but I'm going out to look. They can't be too far." Aya hissed and then stalked back inside.

"Shit!" Yohji stubbed out his cigarette and chased after Aya. Yohji grabbed his arm and stopped him. Aya whirled on him, but Yohji caught his fist, but Aya was already pulling his fist away and moving to kick.

He quickly mouthed Aya to stop. The man paused, realizing that Yohji wasn't trying to pick a fight.

Yohji leaned in close to Aya's ear. Damn it, the only way to stop Aya was to tell him. "Kritiker's looking for them outside," Yohji whispered in his ear.

"First Ken and now you? Is Omi going to be the one I have to rely on to keep his mouth shut? Because if that's the case I'm leaving because that brat can't hide a thing!" Aya snarled. Yohji was just glad that Aya's voice was fairly quiet. He didn't want Aya's angry words to hurt the boys' feelings.

"Don't turn your anger on Omi just because you're pissed at me. I won't let you and neither will Ken. We're a team. We have to pull through this together! We're family! So quit being a dick and lets go downstairs and talk strategy."

"Talk strategy while they listen in? Not your smartest plan, Kudou!" Aya turned and stormed off. Shit! He wasn't going to be able to protect Aya outside!

"Aya, please! You're not thinking with a clear head!" Yohji pleaded, chasing after him.

Aya obviously didn't give a shit. He didn't even spare Yohji a glance as he rushed out of the house.

The second Yohji flung himself out the doors a van sped out into traffic. What the hell! Shit! Aya had spooked them and they'd fled.

"You stupid asshole!" Yohji shouted, grabbing him by the shoulder and forcefully turning him. Yohji let go when he realized he'd aggravated Aya's stitches when he'd pulled him. Probably the ones in his lower back, by the angle Aya had turned.

"Kritiker would've found them! They were right there!" Yohji backhanded him hard. He'd better be getting through that thick skull of his!

Yohji knew better than to hit him again. Aya let him do it once. There was no force on this earth that would get him away with doing it twice.

"There was only one of them. That's why they left. I saw the driver. It was just a boy. He was around Omi's age." Aya said in that cold voice.

The one on the phone didn't sound Omi's age. And who tells the kids to stay home and then sends out their own team's kids?" Yohji took his cue to shut up when Aya pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. The question was, how much did the kid really remind him of Omi? Would that make him hesitate?

Yohji didn't think so. But then again, Aya had surprised him a few times with moments of humanity that weren't confined to the team or his sister.

He wrapped an arm loosely around Aya's back and led him back indoors. Aya followed complacently. Yohji wished that the whole team that hunted them had been there. I mean with so many Kritiker agents around it might've been fairly easy to take them down.

But no, Aya had jumped the gun and now they were, once again, playing the enemy's game. The next move belonged to them, and all Yohji could do was sit back and wait for them to attack.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Aya really had no idea what to do with himself, so he walked into the flowershop even though he'd been given strict orders not to.

"Aya!" Omi squeaked, looking pale. Aya quickly dodged a group of fan girls that shouted and raced toward him.

"Looks like someone still has a problem listening to the advice of others," Aya spun on his heel and glared. _What the hell was he doing here? And how the hell did I not notice him? _

"Advice?" Aya scoffed. Yohji was looking questioningly at him. Aya shrugged. Knight wasn't exactly a danger to them. More like an annoyance.

"He was just leaving," Aya was startled when Yohji grabbed him by the wrist and forced him out of the shop and back indoors. What the hell was he doing!

"I will not be trapped indoors. I'm not a coward!" Aya hissed at Yohji as the man pinned him to the wall by the shoulders. There were many things he could do to get away, but he really didn't want to hurt Yohji.

"I'm not saying that you are! But we don't even know who we're fighting!"

"Which is why I came out into the open. Whoever is hunting me needs to see me to hit me, right? So if he can see me then we stand a pretty good chance at seeing him!" Aya didn't even flinch when Yohji punched the wall beside his head.

"Well now, there is no need for you two to fight amongst yourselves, not when you have a formidable opponent," Knight's voice carried into the room. Aya shoved Yohji away as gently as he could.

"You've changed a little, Ran. There was a time when if anyone would've touched you you would have broken their arm." Knight had only been near him for a few seconds and already the man was pissing him off!

"Rest assured, Knight, if it had been you who touched me you would have more than a broken arm."

"Am I missing something? Should I be making him leave?" Yohji looked way more than confused.

"Why are you here?" Aya demanded, clenching his fists so tight he could hear the knuckles crack.

"I have been asked to help protect you. Queen informed me that you were in danger, and when Pawn heard he insisted that we come to your aid. Just the two of us, though. Your target will lie low if there are too many of us running around, so we're supposed to back you up." Knight had to be so damned infuriating, didn't he?

"I don't need your help!" Aya snapped.

"He's lying, he needs your help," Yohji interrupted. Aya glared at him. _I'm going to kill him!_

Aya aimed a punch at Yohji, but Knight was inbetween them suddenly, shoving them apart.

"I don't need your help, Yuushi!" Knight didn't say anything, just gave him that knowing look.

"Aya, I love you, you stubborn ass! I'm not about to let you get yourself killed just because you don't feel like playing nice!" Yohji shouted. Knight stiffened, looking like he was ready for a full on fight. Truth be told, though, if Knight were just in the room and not standing between them Aya would've attacked Yohji and really meant it.

He would not be berated just because he had the balls to stand tall against an unseen enemy! That wasn't who he was!

"If you really love me then you'll shut up. I can't win this by hiding my head. Should I be waiting for when they decide to come in after me? I'm not afraid of them! If I hunt them down on my terms then I can do this. But you really don't know a thing about me if you think I'm going to hide!"

"Ran, you're bleeding!" Knight came toward him. Aya backed up. Shit! It was the self inflicted sword slash. The stitches must've ripped near the elbow/

"He's kind of riddled with stitches all over right now. Probably wasn't my smartest move to go shoving him around." Yohji's eyes were wide. It was strange. Aya hadn't even felt the stitches rip, hadn't felt the pain. Hell, he'd been too preoccupied to even notice the wetness dripping down his arm.

"Shirt," Knight held out his hand. Aya glared at him, ignoring Yohji, who was fishing around for a first aid kit.

Aya begrudgingly removed his shirt, ignoring the startled look that Yuushi tried to hide.

"When did this happen?" Aya had a feeling Knight would notice that the bleeding wound was from a sword.

Aya accepted the thread that Yohji handed to him and jabbed it into his arm.

"Do you have any leads at all as to who might be after you?" Knight took the needle from him and went to work sewing him more gently than he could manage himself.

Yohji had already started at the wrist at another spot where the stitches had ripped.

"Some mercenaries. Aya apparently killed one of theirs, so they want revenge. But how was he supposed to know that one of the guards was infiltrating the same way he was?" Yohji was stitching faster than Knight, who didn't have much practice at that sort of thing.

"I saw one of them. If I can find this kid I can make him talk. This time you won't be pulling me away, Yohji. If I find him I'll remove whatever part of him I have to. He's not an innocent like Kaito, so he's fair game."

"There are other ways to find out who is after you without torturing someone, Ran. I honestly can't believe that you would even suggest it."

"Oh, really? And what better way is there? Every time I try to go outside to lure them out someone tries to stop me. So tell me, then, what exactly are my options?" Aya loved how easy it was for him to get under Yuushi's skin.

"Aya! This isn't the time!" Yohji pleaded. Aya looked at him. Yohji looked torn. Had he really put that look there?

"I'm sorry," Aya reached with his free hand and wiped the hair out of Yohji's eyes, trying to reassure him even though he knew it didn't matter what he did do, he was probably screwed.

"Its too bad we can't give them a message. I bet I could get them to come into the flowershop during the day."

"Isn't that risky? I mean you won't be able to fight in front of all those civilians. Things could get out of hand and they could get hurt. You could end up in jail." Knight obviously didn't get it.

"That was the plan. If I'm behind bars they will be too, then I'll know who they are even if they do manage to escape. One or two people getting hurt really isn't my problem. This plan will work," Aya was sure his plan would work! Only it wasn't the same plan he was letting them in on.

"And when you catch them, what then?"

"Hn," The real plan wasn't to get them put in jail, but he couldn't tell the others that. The real plan was to assume they were being listened to and plan for how the enemy would retaliate after hearing him say all of that so matter of factly.

He was talking about the enemy like they were a bunch of morons. They weren't about to take that. They would make an appearance, he just didn't know how or when yet.

"Tell the others thank you for trying to help, but I can handle this on my own," he didn't want Knight here. One more person hanging around to protect him wouldn't help. It would be a hindrance if anything.

"I'll be in touch," Knight nodded at him, obviously knowing that Aya wasn't going to budge.

"Aya! What the hell! We could use all the help we can get!" Yohji shouted, throwing his arms up in the air.

"Knight will bring the team with him and it will be like setting off a warning bell for the target. He's good at what he does, but it won't help if he scares them away!" Aya hissed at Yohji.

"You think one more guy is going to scare them away? Are you really that…"

"It won't be just him, it would be the team. We can handle this on our own, without Kritiker and without the Crashers. This is my problem. I'm allowing you to fight by my side, but its not your problem unless you want it to be. He shouldn't have come in the first place," Aya knew he was right.

Author`s notes: I wanted to bring Knight in so that its shown that Aya was offered help from Kritiker even though he`s too stubborn to accept it.

Thank you peng-kachan for your review. =)

yeah, this story doesn`t have as much Aya hurt because of Yohji`s stupidity. Its not the theme in this one, but the other ones I`ve written `this pain you feel`, `mistrust`, and `search for revenge`has that a bit more in it.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Yohji wanted to smack Aya senseless. What was the man thinking? They could use all the help they could get!

Yohji had never met nor heard of the Crashers, but the man Aya had called Knight had seemed as strong and calculating as Aya himself, only a much more noble and caring version.

Now they were back to their usual four members plus a few Kritiker agents scoping around outside.

Aya had Omi scanning through high school databases, looking for a picture of the brat that had been listening in and watching them.

Aya was more than determined to find that kid and kill him. Yohji worried about when they found the kid. He didn't think he could hold Aya's hand while he cut pieces off a kid Omi's age.

The phone ringing caught Yohji off guard. He made a dash for it, picking it up and hitting the talk button. Aya smirked at him, shaking his head.

"Hello?" There was a lot of static.

"Is this Yohji Kudou?" A young voice asked. Yohji wondered if this was the kid that had been watching them.

"Who's asking?"

"You can call me Pawn. Is Ran listening in? I need to speak with you without him knowing!" The voice sounded sincere enough.

"No, you're clear," Yohji said very quietly.

"Knight and I are going to continue to monitor the situation. I mean I know Ran can get out of any trouble. But I just want to help, you know? And Knight won't let me help without him, so we'll help from the shadows. We'll watch him twenty four seven!"

"Sounds good," Yohji was relieved. Aya had sent Knight off without so much as a thank you for caring. But Knight was still going to help, and he'd brought a friend with him.

"I'll keep in touch." Yohji turned the phone off.

"Who was that?" Aya asked, still staring at the computer as Omi went through pictures.

"Telemarketer. She sounded cute so I thought I'd humour her," Yohji smiled at Aya's exasperated look.

"Hey, I was just being friendly, it wasn't like I was going to meet her or anything," Yohji would much rather have this argument than let him know that he'd agreed to let the Crashers help.

"Slut." Yohji did a double take at that one. Had Aya really just called him that?

"You're in one hell of a mood today," Yohji snorted. Aya had been on edge, insulting and generally being an asshole. Yohji wasn't about to just sit there and take it, though. He wasn't going to be Aya's whipping boy. Omi was smart enough to make a hasty retreat once Aya had started glaring.

"I know you hate being stuck in the house, but deal with it. Or should I bring out the training wheels?" Aya looked ready to murder him. That was fine, though. He could hold his own in a fight. He just didn't want to have to.

"You should've let him help. I can tell you two don't exactly get along, but you need to suck it up, Princess!" Okay, now Aya was storming toward him.

He let Aya grab him by the front of his shirt and yank him closer.

"He…he always wanted more than I could give him!" Aya snarled in his face. Oh! Yohji hadn't known that part. So Knight had been trying to seduce Aya? He could see why it hadn't worked. The two of them were so alike in some ways, but so different in others.

Yohji grabbed Aya's shoulders and shoved him backward so hard Aya hit the wall. Yohji followed suit, pressing his body up against Aya's, nudging his knee between Aya's thighs.

He watched the anger drain from Aya's face, replaced by a desperate need. He crushed his mouth against Aya's demanding entrance. Aya gave in easy enough, opening to him with a groan.

Yohji tangled his hands in Aya's hair to hold him still while he explored his mouth. Aya's hands were moving over his back. One hand dipped lower, sliding between them to cup Yohji's erection. Damn, that felt good!

"Just think of this as a taste for later," Yohji grinned, loving how Aya looked like he was ready to beg him to just do it now!

Yohji pulled away after giving Aya's lower lip a tug with his teeth.

"Yohji!" Aya gasped, looking beautifully flushed. Yohji wanted to take him right there, but they were in the kitchen.

"I have to get back to work before Kencomes looking for me." Yohji didn't want to leave him behind, not when Aya was giving him that needy look. It was almost painful to walk away from.

Aya was slumped against the wall as he left, trying to catch his breath.

Yohji walked back into the flower shop, grinning at the over excited teenage girls that were squealing around the shop, trying to help with the work and giggling every time Yohji looked at them.

"When are Omi and Aya coming back to work?" One of the girls asked, pouting at him.

"Aya accidentally hurt himself on some broken glass, he's going to be off for a while. And Omi is helping him right now, so he might not be back for a while, either."

Yohji paused when he saw a strange car parked in front of the shop. A man with long purple hair winked at him suggestively and then drove off.

Damn! How long was that bastard there watching us?


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Aya hated this. It was driving him crazy. Yohji had warned him about a guy in a car with purple hair that had been skulking about.

He washed the dishes carefully, making sure to get every drop of evidence of dinner off the plates. _Really, I'm not their mother. They need to learn to clean up after themselves!_

"We should get a dishwasher," Yohji pointed out. Aya glared at him. Was he really that lazy?

The second Aya had turned his head something skidded by his head, scratching his cheek hard enough to make it bleed. A bullet had swooshed through the window screen.

Aya didn't take any time to think, he dropped to the floor as the window smashed under the bullets.

"Aya! Are you okay!" Yohji ran to his side, the two of them huddled behind the counter.

"Those cowards used guns! Guns! What the hell? If they're so sure they can take you down they should've come at you face to face! Cowards!" Yohji was screaming.

Aya didn't answer. It bothered him. He could take someone on face to face, but from a distance there wasn't much his sword could do. He sure as hell didn't own a gun. He'd never had any need.

Aya reached up and fished through the silverware drawer and grabbed a large butcher knife.

There was dead silence for a minute before the phone rang.

Yohji made a dive for it and hit speaker phone, saving Aya the trouble of doing it himself.

_Hey, Red. Almost got you that time. Don't worry. When it comes time we won't need a gun. But that doesn't mean we won't shoot you for shits and giggles._

"Cowards!" Aya hissed loud enough for the man to hear.

_Now now, Abyssinian, you don't want me to get angry do you? I think you've had enough for right now._

The line went dead. Aya launched into action, running out the front door and looking around in the direction the bullets had come from.

A black car soared away down the road so fast that when it turned it nearly crashed into a pole.

It was so fast Aya didn't have time to read the full license plate, just an A at the beginning.

"I'm getting sick of this shit already!" Yohji shouted. Aya rolled his eyes. _He_ was getting sick of it? Aya was the one targeted, not him!

Sure, Aya liked excitement in his life. Being able to hunt down evil beasts excited him. But being hunted? That was getting old fast!

Even Ken and Omi were on edge, even though he'd told them not to get involved. He'd gotten the answer he'd known he would get. 'We're more than just a team! We're family, and we take care of our own!'

They didn't get that it was what he was trying to do, take care of his own to keep them out of the line of fire!

There was no reason that the kids had to die. The enemy was sympathetic to the boys, so they would leave them alone. They would leave Yohji alone, too, if he would just back the hell off.

Aya had a feeling he was going to have to ditch the team for their own safety. It would be hard, though, with them all trying to stay by his side twenty four seven. He couldn't even practice out on the balcony, he'd be a prime target.

It was really pissing him off.

"Sorry, babe," Yohji placed a kiss on the side of his neck. Aya shivered. He was going to keep Yohji safe. He had to. Yohji didn't deserve this shit, not after he'd taken so much time to show Aya how loyal and loving he was.

"Did you catch the license plate?" Yohji asked. Aya didn't answer. Yohji would take the silence as it was meant to be.

Aya groaned out loud when he heard the police sirens.

"Shit!" Yohji was already grabbing the knife out of his hand and running inside to hide anything that could lead the police to anything involving Weiss.

Aya slowly walked back inside. His nerves were shot. He really didn't want to deal with the police right now.

Aya looked over at the phone and answering machine and pulled out the tape, just in case there were any messages pertaining to Weiss. Even if a message was deleted it would still be on tape.

Aya snapped the plastic in two and ripped out the inner parts, breaking everything including snapping the plastic parts that contained the actual words. He stuffed it all to the bottom of the garbage can.

He looked around at all the broken glass, noting that there was a stinging in his feet. He'd stepped in it. There were bits of glass stuck in his bare feet, leaving bloodied footprints as he made his way to a chair.

"For the love of…Damn it, Aya!" Yohji was kneeling in front of him as he lifted his foot up to look at the damage.

Yohji went to work pulling out the glass as carefully as he could.

"I swear to God, if it weren't for me taking care of you…" Yohji griped. Aya just snorted at that. On missions it was usually the other way around. Aya took care of the team. But Yohji had made it his self-appointed mission to take care of Aya outside of missions. Aya couldn't remember when that had started, but it had been long before they'd become a couple.

But then again Yohji had loved him longer than that, so it made sense. The only time Yohji hadn't really tried to take care of him was when that Neu bitch had tricked Yohji into taking care of her. Aya would never forgive that bitch for hurting Yohji. So maybe he'd had feelings for Yohji long before they'd gotten together, too.

Aya reached out and ran a hand through Yohji's hair, giving a small smile when Yohji looked up at him.

Yohji returned the smile, his entire face warming with it. Yohji was amazing when he smiled.

Aya knew what the knock at the door was. The police were here. Omi was there right away, greeting them with a 'thank god you're here! Someone shot through our window!' Omi was so good at the panicked little boy act.

The police were already outside looking around. One of them stayed inside to console him, like they always did. Omi kept the man busy, whimpering and giving the waterworks. Ken was there, too, shaking with 'fear'.

"In here," Yohji shouted when the police asked if there was anyone else in the house.

"Is he going to be okay?" The officer asked, coming toward Aya, who hadn't thought to cover his chest. All of his bandages and stitches were visible. Shit!

The officer looked suspicious as he looked Aya over.

"Is there someone who might want you dead?" he asked, still looking at Aya.

"No. He's accident prone, he was trying to install a tall mirror for a friend and it shattered on him. So he's covered in wounds, but those have nothing to do with this. We have no idea what's going on!" Yohji didn't have to put fake worry in his voice, Aya could tell the worry was very real.

"One minute he was doing dishes and the next thing we know he was shot at!" Aya was glad Yohji was doing all the talking, he didn't feel like it.

"Are you sure you don't know who's after you?" the officer asked. Yohji nudged at him. The longer he was silent the more the police were going to suspect something.

"Is he going into shock?" The officer asked, making a move to come toward him. Shit! He'd better say something!

"I don't know why someone would shoot at me. I work at a flower shop. Who wants to kill a florist?" It was the best he could come up with. The officer nodded.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Yohji was going to kill that stubborn bastard! He shook his head as he watched Aya gear up for the mission. He couldn't very well leave Aya behind, but…did the man have to throw himself into the enemy's sights?

"Relax, Yohji. The only way for us to do this is to pull them out into the open," Aya assured, leaning in and giving him a quick kiss that was meant to calm him down. It did the opposite. Aya wasn't the type of person to comfort another. It meant that Aya was positive he was going to die. That he didn't want to end it on some sort of argument.

Yohji was going to kick his ass if he tried anything stupid. Aya had that level headed look that pissed Yohji off to no end. It meant that he had a plan and wasn't going to share.

It was like things had somewhat gone back to the way they used to be, with Aya completely cold and aloof, only it was slightly different. It was like Aya was trying to hide that he was being cold and aloof.

What the hell was going on?

Being out of the loop on something this important scared the hell out of Yohji. He couldn't go back to the way things were, spending every night with a stranger in his arms instead of holding the person he loved more than life itself.

He couldn't go back to that lonely life. If Aya died he would die with him, leaving behind an empty shell like how Aya's little sister had been, only he'd have no intention of ever waking.

Yohji reached out and grabbed Aya by the arm. Screw the fact that the boys were watching, he yanked Aya into his arms and kissed him hard. He put everything he had into that kiss, every ounce of love and worry pouring into Aya, pushing it in with his tongue. Leaving Aya panting and flushed when he pulled away.

"Don't do anything stupid!" Yohji warned, zipping up his coat. He received a glare in response before Aya went back to dressing, buckling his coat closed and sliding on his leather gloves.

"it's a basic mission, we get in we get out. No fucking around," Yohji said. Ken and Omi nodded. Aya didn't even give a sign that he was paying attention. He just grabbed his sword and walked out the door to the car.

Yohji ran to keep up. There was no way he was letting Aya drive alone! He ran as fast as he could as Aya slammed the car door and pushed the key into the ignition. Aya reached over and slapped the locks down. What the hell?

Yohji's eyes widened as he realized what Aya was doing! _He's taking off!_

Yohji ran to his own car, but paused when he saw the slashed tires. When the hell had Aya done that to his car?

Yohji slammed into his car anyway, starting the engine. He frowned when the car wouldn't start. He punched the wheel when he saw that the car was on empty. Aya had the time to sieve all the gas out of his car, too?

Shit! He wished he would've thought to put a damned tracker on Aya's car. But then he hadn't expected the bullheaded idiot to ditch him. He supposed he should've expected it. But he'd really thought he had enough of Aya's trust to fight this together.

"Leave it to me to fall in love with a damned martyr!" Yohji didn't know what to do. Unless Aya's cellphone had the GPS on he was screwed.

"Yohji, what the hell?" Ken said when Yohji climbed back out of his car.

"Aya just said screw the mission and screw all of us, from what I gather. That idiot thinks he's protecting us by getting himself killed!" Yohji locked the car and leaned against it.

"Can't we trace him or something? We can't just let him take off, right? There has to be something we can do!" Omi looked like he was ready to cry.

Yohji pulled out his cellphone and called Pawn. Maybe the kid had been paying attention.

"Hey. I don't suppose you saw where Ran was heading? Yeah, he slashed my tires and stole my gas so that he could escape. If we don't find him he's going to end up dead. Even he can't fight an entire team of assassins all by himself!"

_Well, I saw him turn down Maine street. Knight is trying to figure out where he's headed so that we can head him off. I'll send you a map on your vid screen._

Yohji got into his car and turned the screen on. There was Pawn, as bright eyed and bushy tailed as Yohji had mentally pictured him. He was there for a split second in greeting before he vanished and a map showed up.

_The map is of Knight's car, not Ran's. But Knight is in the direction Ran is going. Its hard to keep up with him!_

Yohji did the only thing he could. He called a taxi. It was ridiculous, to say the least, to chase Aya in a taxi. The driver was going to get a lot of money out of him tonight.

When he found the asshole he was going to lay into him. Aya was going to have to learn to behave rationally. I mean who did he think he was?

Aya was hurting him far more than he would ever know. He felt like he'd been crushed in a vice. He felt lost.

The real question was _does the enemy know that he ran off on his own? _

Yohji lit a cigarette. It was going to be a long night.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Aya hadn't really thought over the details too much. He wasn't planning a place to sleep or food. He was planning for his enemy to come and get him before any of those things became an issue.

Of course Knight following him was beginning to piss him off, too. If Knight knew where he was then so did everyone that he was trying to protect. Why couldn't that bastard leave it alone?

Aya slammed his hand on the steering wheel with frustration. How was he going to lose Knight? The man was swerving in and out of traffic as fast as he was. _Asshole!_

Aya pulled over onto the side of the road. The only way to lose Knight was to get out of the car and lose him on foot. He grabbed his sword and picked a street with few parking spaces and slammed into one of them.

He locked his car door and took off in a sprint down the street. If Knight wanted to follow him he was going to have to find a parking spot first. That would give Aya a bit of time to disappear.

Aya picked a shopping mall to run into. There were exits everywhere. Knight would have to guess which one he was going to go out.

Aya wasn't going to leave, though. He was going to hide out in one of the stores until he was sure Knight was gone. Knight would never suspect that, knowing how much Aya hated crowded places.

"Damn, boy, you're hot," a man said as Aya passed him inside a clothing store. He was glad he had the sword hidden in his coat. He sure as hell didn't want anyone to kick him out.

"Go away," Aya said, barely looking at the man.

"Now now, don't be that way. I'm just being friendly."

"I don't need any friends!" Aya hissed, turning to look at the man. He froze. It was that boy. They'd found him already?

"Dangerous things come in pretty packages, now don't they?" the boy teased, grinning wickedly at him.

Aya glared at him, calculating how much time he had to kill the boy and make a break for it before anyone even noticed the kid was dead.

"Now there's the look I never expected. Is that the look you had on your face when you killed my brother? I'll bet it is. Every time I imagined his death I imagined you smiling-well, more of a shadow with a grin. But this is the look, isn't it? I'll have to burn it into my memory."

"You won't have time for that," Aya growled, stalking toward the boy, who grinned as he backed up. The boy had his eyes only on Aya, not on his surroundings. That was going to work in his favour. He backed the boy up toward the unguarded fitting rooms.

Before the boy could even yelp Aya shoved him into the room, whipped out his sword and slashed the boy's throat.

"Sorry about your brother," Aya said as the boy choked on his own blood. "If I had known I would've tried to spare him." he meant it, too. He hadn't been there to kill the boy's little brother, he'd been there to kill a rich murderer who had gotten away without so much as a slap on the wrist because he'd paid off the judge.

Aya wiped his sword clean on the boy's shirt and hid it back under his clothes. Aya looked in the mirror, cleaning the small spatter of blood off his jacket and face.

Aya left the store and slid back into the crowd. He could see Knight checking the stores. Apparently the man knew him better than he realized.

Knight turned and their eyes met. _Shit! _Aya kept walking. He knew that if Knight was here then Yohji was on his way. He couldn't handle that!

Aya quickened his pace. It wasn't like he could by some clothes and change, because not only was Knight following close behind, but he wouldn't have anywhere to hide his sword.

"What are you trying to accomplish? What can you gain other than death? Or is that what you're looking for?" Knight asked, grabbing his wrist.

"I'm trying to protect them! I can do this on my own! I already took one down!" Aya hissed quietly at him.

"They're your team! So move as a team! Stop thinking about your relationships with them and treat this like a mission!" Knight looked like he was ready to fight right there and then.

"I don't want them targeted because I did something wrong. I have to take responsibility for my own actions! Isn't that how you do things? Or have all those lectures been hypocrisy?" Knight paused. Aya knew he had him with that remark.

"Okay, fine. But you're not going it alone. I'll take responsibility for leading your team away, but only if you allow me to accompany you. I'll tell them I lost you." Aya raised an eyebrow at that. Knight felt it was his duty to fight by Aya's side, so he would treat this like a mission and treat Weiss like innocent bystanders. _He would do that for me? _That struck Aya as odd. Aya shoved a teenage girl out of his way. _Why the hell do people do a dead stop in the middle of an aisle when they're shopping?_

"Why do you care?" Aya asked suspiciously. Knight was hiding something from him and he wanted to know what the hell it was! Now!

"You are so naïve, Aya. Did you never guess how I felt about you? I know nothing will never come of it. You've found someone already and I'm happy for you. But just because I can't have you doesn't mean I'll let you die." Knight said it with as much conviction as he said anything they ever argued about.

Aya didn't know what to say to that. Of course he'd guessed. Even though all they did was argue and bitch at each other over every single moral dilemma- Knight didn't like the way Aya did things. Knight had an honour code, something Aya didn't give a damn about. Aya could admit that he loved aggravating the man, but other than that there was never anything between them other than teammates. Knight had tried to kiss him once and Aya had punched him. He'd liked the other members, but it was nothing like his love for Weiss. He'd thought Knight wanted a plaything. Apparently he'd been as wrong about Knight as he had about Yohji in the beginning.

"I know, imagine my surprise when I saw you in his arms. I suppose I was a bit jealous, but to see a warm look on your face, that was a priceless moment for me."

"You talk too much," Aya reached over and gave him a light shove.

"Get them off my trail and you can do whatever the hell you want. I'll meet you outside."

"I don't believe you. You'll run the second you get the chance," Knight snorted.

Aya glared at him and walked out the doors.

He watched Knight out of the corner of his eye as the man called Pawn and told him that he'd lost Aya's trail.

He exhaled a sigh of relief. Yohji would be safe.

Author's notes: Thanks chinchan for your review. =)


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Yohji glared at Omi. How could the chibi even think about opening shop when Aya was missing?

Knight had called to say he'd lost Aya's trail. Somehow Yohji didn't think he was telling the truth. It was hard, though, because Knight seemed honourable, so why would he lie?

Yohji could guess the answer to that one. Aya was being difficult and the only way to reign him in was to co-operate with him.

"I'm going to look for him again," Yohji announced. He still hadn't changed out of his mission gear, but to hell with it!

"Where are you going to start? He could be anywhere by now," Ken said it like he thought Yohji had no clue.

"Well we're not going to find him by opening up the shop! Get your asses in gear or don't. I really don't give a shit! But I'm leaving!" He meant it, too.

Omi dropped everything he was working on and went to change his clothes. Ken did the same with an exasperated look in his face.

Yohji pulled out his cellphone while he waited for the boys to get ready. He dialled Pawn. The kid was on the ball, that much he could tell just by talking to him once. Pawn had this hero worship of Aya and wouldn't be letting Knight out of his sights even with the confirmation that he'd lost Aya's trail.

"Pawn?"

"Yohji? What can I do for you?" he sounded eager. He was beginning to think the kid always sounded that eager.

"Do you still have Knight's co-ordinates?" he could hear the sound of Pawn pressing buttons.

"Yeah, why, do you think he knows where Ran is? Knight's not the type to lie unless he's protecting someone so I guess that might make sense."

At least it wasn't going to be a fight with the kid over whether or not Knight would lie. Yohji had only met the man once and he could tell that he fit his name to a tee. So to get a lie out of him would take drastic measures.

Yohji just prayed that his hunch was right.

Ken and Omi flew down the stairs sounding like a stampede of elephants. It sometimes made him wonder how in the same hell those two managed stealth.

Yohji raced out the door to his car, which he'd had a mechanic friend fix and gas up.

Yohji turned on his vid screen. Pawn's face was there as the boy started to upload the map again.

_As much as I admire Knight, I really hope you're right. I mean Ran is amazing, but even he could get hurt against an entire team of assassins. He'll live and he'll kick the crap out of them, but he still might get a few injuries. Here's the GPS on Knight's cell phone. As long as he has it on him we can trace him._

"Too bad Ran switched his phone off or we could just follow his GPS. Bastard!" Yohji griped as he started the car up and pulled out onto the street. Normally he'd love the feel of the wind in his hair, find it refreshing even. But right now his heart still felt frantic. He felt like he was going to lose Aya.

_There's news that a dead body was found in a shopping mall. Apparently it was a boy that matched Ran's description of the kid that was keeping tabs on him. Get this, he had his throat slashed and the cut looks way too wide to be from a knife. He was found in the fitting rooms of a men's clothing store. Sounds like Ran got him. Maybe he won't be so bad off. We might just be a distraction to him._

"Yeah, but that was just a kid. He's probably like Omi, better suited for the computer work."

"Hey! I can hold my own!" Omi shouted, reaching up from the back seat and smacking Yohji in the back of the head.

"I know you can, Chibi. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying was that this kid wasn't in mission mode. He was in research and spy mode. He wasn't even thinking he would be killed in public. If you were in the same position you wouldn't be expecting to be killed either." Yohji wanted to smack him back, but he had to focus on the task at hand.

"Dick," Omi growled.

"One more comment like that and you're getting the hell out of my damned car!" Yohji scolded. Honestly, it was like dealing with children! He had to chuckle at that. Omi and Ken _were _children.

All he could think about was how impulsive Aya was at times. Aya was powerful, a warrior, but he was also a very passionate person. And at times he could be reckless. That recklessness was a vulnerability that Aya couldn't afford right now.

Yohji nearly jumped out of his skin when his cell rang. He'd been so intent on Aya's location that he'd faded out for a second.

_You're in the clear right now. Turn around. Stop chasing after your bitch and save your own lives. At least save the lives of the boys. Its not right that they should die because you care about a monster. _It was the enemy. The bastard was as confident as Schuldig. It pissed Yohji off.

"We're all monsters. Who can care about a monster more than other monsters. He belongs to us. You can't have him!" Yohji warned, hanging up on the bastard.

Author's notes: Thanks JollyBigSis for your review. X3

I have to admit to everyone that I meant for this to be a slightly humorous story, but it didn't turn out that way. However, I am liking where its headed.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Aya couldn't think of anything to get rid of Knight. He'd tried everything he could think of already. He'd tried to ditch him in the bathroom, but Knight had followed. He'd tried to ditch him in crowds or even knock him out. Knight had been ready for every attempt he'd made.

Now they were in a hotel room. Knight hadn't tried anything funny, he'd just gotten them a room- his expense, because Aya had refused until Knight offered to pay-and they'd gone to bed to sleep.

It was awkward, to say the least. There was only one bed. Of course this wouldn't have bothered him with any other member of the Crashers, but he knew that Knight had feelings for him. Knight had turned over so that his back was facing him and had gone to sleep. Aya couldn't seem to do the same.

His body and mind were on alert whether he liked it or not. He carefully slid out of the bed. He'd been laying there for an hour now. Maybe Knight was asleep enough for him to…

"Going somewhere?" _Damn it!_ Aya looked at Knight, who was sitting up and shaking his head at him. Aya pulled on his coat and gloves. Knight did the same, following his lead. Apparently Knight still wasn't going to leave him alone even for a second.

"I can't sleep. There's no point on me being here if I can't sleep." Aya's back stiffened when he heard Knight coming up behind him as he grabbed his sword and hid it under his clothes.

"At least stay long enough to give your body some rest. I understand that they're out there and we need to face them. I'm no coward. I intend to bring them down just like you do. But who knows how many days it might take to find them."

"More days if we stop to sleep. I don't want to be in bed when they come after me. That would just be stupid. We can't stop anywhere for very long, at least not indoors. You can stay here and sleep all you want. I'll call you when I need a ride home." He knew he was being a jerk, but it was the truth. He couldn't sleep while he was being hunted. How Knight managed to sleep was beyond him.

"Room service!" an excited voice said from the other side of the door. _Shit! Shit! Shit!_ It was Pawn's voice.

Aya shoved the door open, grabbed the little bastard by the arm, and threw him inside, slamming the door behind him.

"How did you find us!" Aya barked. He was ready to kill the kid. Knight got between them, shoving Aya back to keep Pawn safe. Pawn looked petrified.

"I put a tracker in Knight's coat so that I could tell where he was when he was first tailing you. I thought you were in danger, Ran. I'm sorry!" Pawn didn't really look sorry. He was sorry he'd gotten caught and yelled at and threatened, but not sorry that he'd caught up with them.

"You're stalling us!" Aya realized. The little bastard had probably led Weiss right to him, thinking he was 'doing the right thing'! Aya went for him again, this time dodging Knight and grabbing Pawn by the neck. He slammed him against the wall before Knight wrapped an arm around his chest and threw him back again.

"Ran, he said he was sorry. He wasn't trying to cause any trouble for you, he was trying to help. Isn't that right?" Knight's voice was a bit exasperated, like he was dealing with a couple of kids.

"That's right! Weiss said you were in danger so I…"

The window next to the bed smashed and knock out gas spilled in.

Aya stumbled for the door, grabbing both Knight and Pawn and dragging them with him.

It was too late! Aya was already starting to go down. The other two became dead weight and dragged him the rest of the way down. Aya tried to keep his eyes open, but it was useless. Regardless, he was awake enough that could still hear them for the time being.

"Do we grab all three? Or just Abyssinian?" a deep voice asked as the owner picked him up easily.

"Not sure. But maybe we should grab all three. We did warn his friends to stay out of it. Its their own fault for following him and trying to protect him from us."

"Did they think we were amateurs? I would've thought our previous displays would've at least let them know that much." he was already being pulled out the window, followed by the rest of them. He heard a low mumble from Knight.

"But then that idiot Kenichi got himself killed, so I suppose that probably didn't help our image. But who the hell would've guessed that bastard would kill him right there in a store. I would've been off guard, too."

"It wasn't Kenichi's job to approach him, it was his job to give us a visual. The little brat got wreckless like he always did. Well, Abyssinian killed two of ours, so I think we owe him two, right?"

Aya was roughly thrown into the backseat of some sort of vehicle.

Aya hadn't thought they would do something so cowardly. Regardless, if he could still hear he wasn't completely down for the count. That much he knew. He was finally able to slide his eyes open and look around. _I'm in A van? _He supposed it made sense.

"Tie him the fuck down! You idiots! The other two, too!" Someone shouted, and then something struck the side of his head. Black spots started sliding into his vision. He blinked hard, trying to clear them away.

"Go to fucking sleep!" someone shouted at him, and then something jabbed into his arm. Aya looked down in time to see the needle leave.

"I'll kill you," Aya warned in his best deadpan.

"You'll go to sleep like a good little boy. Then when you wake up the fun can begin." there was sadistic laughter all through the van

"And guys, next time I tell you how much gas to use listen to me and don't cheap out! This stubborn mule would be out cold if you would've…"

Aya didn't hear the rest.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Yohji looked around the hotel room. It was trashed. Someone as anal as Aya never would've left a room, even one paid for, in this state.

He'd known it would be a dead end. I mean the tracer had suddenly blipped out after leading them here. Something was blocking the signal from Knight's GPS.

There was glass on the floor, indicating that the window had been broken from the outside. There were drag marks on the rug, three sets of them. And last but not least there was the faint leftover smell from the gas that had been used_. It must've happened recently if it still smells a bit even with the window open._

Yohji pounded his fist on the table. He'd just barely missed them!

"Did you find anything that might indicate where they're taking him?" Omi asked, looking as worried as Yohji felt.

"Them. Whomever it was they took all three of them. Other than that all I can tell you is that it was within the past three minutes. We could've gone right by them and we never would've guessed!" they all ran back outside to Yohji's car. There wasn't much they could do about it without knowing the location. But driving around was better than staying in a spot where they knew Aya wouldn't come back.

He kept his eyes open for anyone who looked unusually suspicious driving a vehicle large enough to hold three hostages. It was hard though, half the human population looked twitchy about _something_ these days.

Yohji felt like he should know in his heart where Aya was. Love should be a tracking device in itself. But it was useless, he hadn't the foggiest clue where to even start looking!

Yohji grabbed his cellphone and dialled up Kritiker.

"Abyssinian's in the enemies hands. Requesting assistance." He didn't know what else to do. I mean this was Aya! Aya was his, no one was allowed to take that away.

"You sure that was smart?" Ken asked, stating the obvious.

"Probably not. But maybe they can track him with some other method. Even though it puts us in their debt its worth it if we can save him. If either one of you doesn't want to be in Kritiker's debt then I can drop you off somewhere." he hoped to hell that they wouldn't ask to be dropped off.

"There's no way we're leaving! You should know that!" Ken griped.

"Ken's right. Aya would never leave us behind like that. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if he was killed because I got out of the car."

"I'm glad. This would be really shitty and probably impossible on my own." He spared a look down at his cellphone like he thought it could possibly be ringing without his knowledge.

Author's notes: Thanks Chinchan and JollyBigSis for your reviews

Sorry for the late and very short chapter. I'm exhausted and falling asleep while typing, so time to call it a night.

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hannukah, Happy Solstice, I don't know the others, but happy everything. :)


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The first thing Aya was aware of was that he was soaked with cold water. He looked up at the men that stood around him. None of them looked familiar, not even in the slightest.

They were all men, and heavily built. He supposed he expected the team to be similar to Weiss or Schwarz in appearance. Each one of them looked like thugs. Aya snorted at that.

"You think something's funny?" One of them snapped.

"Hn," Aya wasn't going to talk to them. They weren't worth his words. He just stared right through them, purposely pissing them off.

"You won't think things are funny for very long," he was struck hard in the face.

"Hey, not in the face. We don't want him..." the one to the right chided.

"Where the hell are we?" Pawn's voice rang out. Aya's head shot over to where Pawn was tied down. Knight was tied to another chair, still unconscious.

"You're in the last place you'll ever see, now shut the hell up!"

"What are you going to…are you going to kill us? Come on! What did we ever do to you? Okay, stupid question. Who are you?" Aya wanted to smack the kid right now. Couldn't he shut up for a second? Show some dignity?

"No one that you would've heard of. We work for Kritiker the same as you assholes. Difference is that we respect the other teams. We stay out of their way!"

"If you would've stayed out of Weiss's way like you claim then there would not be a problem," Knight's voice was exhausted.

"We were given the same mission as Weiss! Kritiker screwed up! Sent us both in! How in the hell were we supposed to know you assholes would be there!" One of them shouted.

"The same goes back to you. You seem smart enough to know that. Ran never would've killed another Kritiker agent had he known." Pawn shouted, only to get smashed in the face with the butt of Aya's sword, which one of the men seemed to be contemplating what he was going to do with it.

"Fair trade that he should be killed by his own sword, but that's for later, once he's begging us to kill him. You two will have our mercy enough that we'll make it quick."

"Gee thanks," Pawn snorted, rolling his eyes. He obviously seemed to think Aya had some sort of master plan for their escape. He was going to be disappointed. Aya was coming up with nothing. Hell, he wasn't even sure escaping was in his best interest. The only reason he was considering escape was for Pawn and Knight's sake.

"Quit feeling sorry for yourselves and grow up," Aya said, looking the man in the eye that was obviously their leader.

"Should we remove his fingernails first?" One of them asked. Aya rolled his eyes. This was a pain in the ass. His hands were tied to the arms of the chair, so he couldn't even rotate his wrists enough to pull them free. It was funny, though, that they thought something that simple was going to make him scream. He'd done worse to himself than that and hadn't screamed. If he'd screamed Weiss would be up the stairs in five seconds to see what was wrong, so he'd mastered being silent through most pain.

"If you want to. Why don't you two kill his friends while Kei removes Abyssinian's fingernails." Their leader said, looking bored with that idea.

"What do you say to that, eh, smartass?" one of the men laughed, tugging off one of Aya's' gloves. Aya didn't bother looking at anything but the man's eyes. He gave the man his best bored look.

"Did you see the table over there? There's lots of toys for us to play with that we haven't even tested yet. And if you think making you bleed and crushing your bones is where we're going to stop then you should start trembling, because when we're done breaking your body we're going to screw you while you scream," okay, that had Aya worried, but he kept it from his eyes.

He could handle torture, but that was just sick. No one but Yohji was allowed to have him like that.

"Please don't do that to him," Knight begged, his eyes wide with worry. "I'll take his place, just don't…" one of the men cuffed Knight in the stomach hard enough to make him choke.

"Don't worry, beautiful, we won't make you watch. You'll be long dead before that. Hey, Abyssinian, I have no idea how in the hell a demon like you managed to get such loyalty from a friend. Hell, how did you even get a friend?" The man looked genuinely confused. He wasn't the only one. Aya had no idea why the hell Knight would offer himself up like that. Aya had rejected him for Yohji and Knight still wanted him to be safe?

"Yeah. You look a bit surprised, Abyssinian. You never thought we might want you for other reasons? I mean of course revenge takes precedence, but ever since I saw you I wanted you, even though you're an evil asshole. Once I mentioned that to the boys they got a little over excited. So we agreed to pass you around for a while. I wanted to take you before we start grinding bones, but we all agreed that trying to screw your brains out before you're too hurt to move was a very bad idea. No matter. We'll leave your face alone so that you'll still look pretty for us."

"Hn," Aya wasn't going to protest. Letting them realize that he was scared would just make them even more excited. The longer he pretended he didn't give a shit the more time he could bide to come up with some sort of plan.

"Ran, just go! Don't worry about us! Just get the hell out of here!" Pawn screamed. The boy had way too much faith in his abilities. If he could get free he would've been gone with the two of them, leaving corpses behind while they made their escape.

"Poor little man just doesn't get it. That's really cute. Too bad these two didn't wrong us. We could've passed them around, too. But we're merciful to innocent bystanders." Aya was glad for that much. He wouldn't be able to handle seeing them do that to his comrades.

"I suppose we should shut this little guy up now. No sense in dragging it out," Aya's eyes widened as their leader unsheathed his sword and slashed Pawn's throat. The boy sputtered. Knight shouted, struggling in his bonds, trying to reach toward the boy. It was too late.

Knight was the next to go, with the sword driven through his chest, piercing his heart.

"You're no better than I am. In fact, you're worse, because you knew they had nothing to do with this," Aya growled, rotating his wrist around a little bit.

One of the men started slowly on his fingernails, scraping underneath and peeling them out, one by one. Aya wasn't even paying attention. His eyes were locked on Pawn's innocent face. He'd caused the boy's death, and Knight's too. He'd never forgive himself for that.

"Who knew someone like you could feel remorse," their leader shook his head with a grin.

Author's notes: Poor poor Pawn and Knight. I'm such a bitch.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Yohji jumped when his phone rang. He snapped it open and put it to his ear.

"Had a feeling you would still be looking for your leader. Don't bother. There's not much left to save, and he'll probably wish you didn't. The other two are dead and he'll be joining them in a few minutes. Just go home."

"Please, just…let him live." Yohji winced and nearly dropped the phone at the sound of Aya's voice. That was a definite scream. _Shit! What the hell are they doing to him?_

"His body's all ripped to shit. He's not going to live, so just go home already," the line went dead. Yohji paused when his video screen blipped. Those stupid bastards were using Knight's phone. He put the phone down and clenched his hands on the wheel.

"Yohji, you just got really pale, let me drive," Ken said, looking really nervous.

"I heard him scream!" Yohji hissed, his hands tightening on the wheel so hard that it squeaked in protest.

That shut Ken up. They all knew that Aya didn't scream unless he was really pissed off and enjoying the kill.

"We're too far away. It'll it could take forty five minutes to get there!" even Omi's voice sounded strained.

"He doesn't have that long!" Yohji snapped the phone open again and dialled Kritiker.

"Pawn and Knight are dead, and we don't think we can get to Abyssinian fast enough to save his life. I'm following Knight's GPS, but we're too far away!" Yohji all but shouted into the phone.

"Okay. Just…hurry!" He felt completely helpless. Aya was dying and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it. And worse still, if they did save Aya it would be Kritiker doing it. Aya wouldn't even have the people he really trusted coming to his rescue, he would have virtual strangers. Strangers would see him in whatever shape he was in. And strangers were going to be trusted to keep him alive. Yohji wouldn't even be able to kill the sons of bitches that were hurting Aya. No, they'd already be dead, probably gunshots to the head. A mercy they didn't deserve after what they'd done!

"I guess that's all we can do from here," Ken growled, echoing his thoughts.

Yohji floored it as hard as he could. The damned police had better not pull him over, or he was going to kill them. If the stupid police hadn't stopped him when he'd been tracking Aya and Knight the first time maybe Aya would be safe at home and they would've had some time to plan things.

"You're going to crash us!" Omi squeaked when Yohji weaved in and out of traffic. He wasn't going to bloody well crash them! He knew how to drive fast.

He had to do everything he could to get there as soon as he was able to. What happened if Kritiker didn't answer his call for help right away. Aya could die.

"Yohji!" Ken shouted when Yohji jumped the curb, cutting across the sidewalk instead of waiting at the lights. It was dark out, and there weren't any people around.

When the phone rang again Ken grabbed it before Yohji could.

"Thank God! Okay, we'll meet him there. Who? No, I don't know who they are. What should I be looking for? Oh, okay." Ken hung up and scratched a hand through his hair.

"That was Manx. Head toward the hospital. Aya's there. He's in the emergency room right now. She said the Crashers were there waiting to keep us informed. Um, someone named Queen and Bishop. Queen's going to be watching for us, I guess."

At least the hospital was closer than the place where they'd tortured Aya. It still took twenty minutes to get there.

The second they got in the doors they were greeted by a tall dark haired woman, who's eyes were red rimmed like she'd been crying.

"Queen?" Ken asked. The woman nodded, leading them to the waiting room.

"I don't know who they sent in to get Abyssinian. We beat the ambulance here and Ran…he's in bad shape. He was barely conscious, and his eyes looked dead. I don't know how someone looking like that can still be alive, and the doctors won't tell us a thing. Knight and Pawn were dead on sight, that much we know from Kritiker. I didn't want to believe them, so I sent Bishop to sneak into the morgue to double check. Its definitely them." she sat down and hung her head.

"I'm sorry," Yohji patted her on the shoulder.

"I don't know if you knew this, but Ran was one of ours for a while. We weren't as close to him as you are, but we liked him, respected him. We've lost two of ours, it had better not be three," her shoulders started to shake.

"Aya's too stubborn to die," Yohji said.

"God, I hope so," she sniffed.

_So do I_! Yohji thought. He didn't want to say it out loud. Didn't want to jinx Aya's chances or scare the younger members of Weiss any more than they already were.

Author's notes: Two chapters in one day. Now I'm going to bed.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Yohji looked down at Aya's slumbering form. He was in a full body cast. The doctors had told Yohji that the cast was the only thing holding his body together at this point. And the only thing keeping him breathing was a machine.

His face looked worn even in sleep. Aya hadn't woken up since the operation. He was glad the others had let him be the one to see Aya.

There was no sign of life from the man he loved. Yohji leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, but it wasn't a fairy tale. Aya wasn't going to wake up just because he'd kissed him.

Aya didn't look like he had any intention of waking up at all. Yohji could hope and pray all he wanted, but he knew that Aya wasn't going to wake up. The doctors had pronounced him comatose.

"Aya, we need you. Don't sleep too long," Yohji whispered, climbing up on the bed beside him. He rested his head on Aya's chest. The cast was hard and cold under his cheek. But it didn't matter. He needed to be as close to Aya as he could get. Anything to reassure himself that Aya was alive.

"I tried to get to you as soon as I could, but I was too far away. Its awful that I had to call in Kritiker to rescue you. I didn't want anyone to see you in that condition. But what else could I do? I just hope you can hear me. I hope you understand. I need you more than anything. I have nothing else…I want nothing else than to hold you in my arms." Tears streaked down Yohji's cheeks. He didn't know if Aya could hear him.

Three years went by. Yohji visited Aya every day. Every day Yohji kissed Aya and put a stuffed bear in Aya's hands, giving him some sort of contact for when he wasn't there.

The cast was removed long ago, leaving a myriad of scars on that beautiful body. Yohji spent an hour a day working with Aya's body, stretching his arms and legs to try to keep his strength up.

It all seemed useless now. Yohji spent his days and nights with a bottle in his hand and a needle in his arm. Ken and Omi were doing their best to help him, but even they were starting to give up. Weiss didn't exist anymore. Ken and Omi were doing jobs with the Crashers while trying to help Yohji through his alcohol addiction.

They didn't know about his other addiction. There was no way he was going to tell them that he was on drugs just to be able to stay sane.

As far as he was concerned Aya wasn't going to wake up. But that didn't stop him from coming to see him every day. The doctors had told him that Aya could hear him. He had to believe that.

"Hey, baby. I hope you're alright, because I sure as hell am not. I'm so fucked up. I don't exist anymore. I'm just…lost without you. You know?" He shut his eyes tight, fighting the same tears he'd fought for years now.

The doctors had told him that Aya had shown signs of rape after everything he'd been through. It was too much for him to accept. Then to find out that the sons of bitches that had done this to Aya had belonged to Kritiker. Yohji just couldn't do missions for someone who would create a team like that.

Manx knew about his alcoholism. It was fine, though. He'd sold everything he owned for the drinks and drugs. The last of his bank account he'd drained last week and now he was itching all over, needing something in his veins. Now he was barely living with Omi and Ken, who were paying the rent on their own, taking pity on him.

Yohji leaned down and kissed Aya full on the mouth like he always did. Tasting what he'd lost.

He stumbled backwards, nearly falling on his ass when Aya gasped into his mouth. Yohji stared stupidly as Aya's violet eyes slid open.

"I'm so fucked up," Yohji rubbed at his eyes. He'd hallucinated Aya waking up a thousand times, but never had it been this intense. He'd felt Aya's breath in his mouth, felt his body jerk under his hands.

The machines attached to Aya that read his heartbeat were going wild. Nurses were racing into the room, shoving Yohji out as they went to work.

This was really happening! He was sure of it.!

Yohji pulled out his phone and dialled Ken's cell.

_What is it, Yohji? _Ken asked, sounding exasperated.

"He's awake! Aya's awake! You have to come down here!" He was weeping, sobbing into the phone.

_Yohji, enough's enough. You need to come home. Its too much. You need to move on, _Ken sounded like he was fighting off tears. Had Yohji called Ken every time he'd hallucinated Aya's waking?

"No, I mean the nurses came running. They're all…"

_Yohji, I'll send someone to come and pick you up. You need to come home now. Its getting ridiculous. We're worried about you. You need to get some help. _

"I'm not going anywhere, Ken. He's awake! I'm not leaving the waiting room until I can take him home! Just…please, you and Omi need to be here!"

_Okay, we're on our way. Just stay where you are, we'll come and check and then we're bringing you home_.

He didn't remember how many times he must've claimed Aya was up. Hell, he didn't remember much these days.

He grabbed the first doctor he saw.

"He's awake, right? Can I see him?" Yohji knew he was bawling like a child.

"Yeah. You can see him." the man patted him on the arm, smiling at him for once. That's right, normally the doctors had that sympathetic look on their faces, feeling sorry for him that he thought his lover was awake.

Yohji practically sprinted into the room.

"Hey, baby," Yohji said, panting for his breath as he looked at Aya. The redhead was propped up with pillows, looking exhausted.

"Sleep that long and you're still tired, eh? They call that sleep poison," he teased. Aya offered him a tiny smile.

"I want to leave this place," Aya said, his voice hoarse from lack of use. Yohji raced to the side of the bed, sitting down and wrapping his arms around Aya, who leaned into him.

"You look like shit," Aya whispered in his ear.

"You look more beautiful than ever." Yohji kissed him harder than he should've. The kiss was frantic, desperate and consuming. He'd smothered him so much that Aya started to struggle to pull away.

When Yohji finally drew back Aya looked dizzy.

"sorry. I just…God I missed you!"


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 26

Aya looked at Omi and Ken, who were both crying. The two launched at him and wrapped their arms around him. It was awkward to say the least. Aya was too shocked to push them away. What was their problem? He waited for the boys to pry themselves off him.

First Yohji's hysterics, and now these two, as well? What was going on? Aya looked down at his arms. They were healed. How in the hell were they healed? They'd barely been attached last he'd looked. Then it dawned on him.

"How long have I been here?" his voice hurt, another sign that he'd been there a while. All he could remember was those monsters that had pulled him apart like pulling the wings off a butterfly. Then he'd heard Yohji's voice, felt him, but couldn't wake to hold him in his arms when he felt Yohji crying. It seemed like Yohji had done nothing but cry for…however long Aya had been under.

"Three years. God! We're so glad to have you back!" Ken was swiping at his tears even though more were coming.

"When Yohji said you were awake we'd thought he was hallucinating again. He hasn't been himself since…we've had to take care of him. He's a real mess. He needs you so much," Omi said, smiling sadly at him.

Yeah, Yohji had looked like shit, but Aya hadn't quite known what to make of it. Yohji was thinner than usual and a bit shaky. Aya hadn't the heart to ask him what the hell was wrong with him, not when Yohji was bawling his eyes out.

Three years explained it. Well, things were going to change. Aya was going to go home and keep Yohji's self-destructive behaviour at bay.

"I'm leaving the hospital." Aya decided. He was surprised when he was able to stand. He'd been expecting to fall on his face when he'd placed his feet on the ground and pulled himself up.

"Yohji's been exercising your body every day, doing leg lifts and stuff. He'd asked a physiotherapist to also work with you once a day. Kritiker was paying for it on the off chance that you might wake up one day." Ken explained. It made sense. Kritiker would want him back in the field as soon as possible.

"Yohji brought you some clothes. He's kept the gym bag over there full of clean clothes for three years. He switches them out every day so that they don't get that dingy smell to them."

Aya had never guessed Yohji would be so lost without him. Lost was the only way to describe it. Yohji had it way worse than Aya had when Aya-Chan was in the hospital. He'd visited as often as possible, but he hadn't gone this far.

"He's an alcoholic at this point. He won't listen to us and get help. He needs you to help him." Omi looked terrified of how he would take that news. Aya just nodded. He would take care of Yohji.

He walked over to the gym bag and grabbed it, tossing it on the bed. He paused, glaring at Omi and Ken until they got the hint and turned their backs to him. He didn't need them gaping at whatever scars he might have from those bastards.

He pulled on the leather pants and black sleeveless shirt. Yohji's taste in clothes hadn't changed, that was for sure, always wanting Aya in tight clothes.

"You can turn around now," Aya said in a deadpan as he grabbed the boots. Crap. It was hard to get those on. When he leaned down he got dizzy.

"Oh! Let me get those!" Omi ran to his side, kneeling down and helping Aya get his feet into the heavy boots, lacing them up to the knees.

"Yohji really should've thought this over before he brought you those boots. What a hopeless idiot," Ken griped. Aya just smiled. Same old Yohji, thoughtless in his thoughtfulness.

Aya felt a bit off balance in the chunky boots, but it was fine. There was no way he was going to let the others know that.

He followed Ken and Omi out into the waiting room, where Yohji was waiting, jittering like a…no, Yohji was just nervous, that was all.

Aya walked over to Yohji, gently cupping Yohji's cheeks in his hands he leaned in and kissed him gently.

"Aya, you shouldn't be walking around so soon!" Yohji stood up, taking him by the arm. Aya pulled his arm away. Like he was really going to let Yohji drag him back to the bed?

"We're going home now. I will not stay in this place," Aya grabbed Yohji by the arm instead and led him toward the doors. He wasn't strong enough to force Yohji to follow, but he refused to let go as he walked, and Yohji seemed to take the hint enough to just follow him.

"I missed you so much, Aya," Yohji said, wrapping an arm around his waist as they walked.

"You did say as much before. I heard you, when I was…out cold. I heard you crying telling me you missed me. I didn't understand it before, but I didn't know what was going on," Aya said very quietly so that only Yohji could hear him.

Aya let Yohji lead him to the car. He sat in the passenger seat, a place where Yohji could keep an eye on him. It didn't matter to him. He was alive.

Yohji was talking to him the entire drive, filling him in on the details of the past few years. Aya was getting incredibly drowsy. He supposed it was because he wasn't used to being awake.

He closed his eyes only to be shaken almost violently awake as the car came to a screeching halt.

"Don't sleep on me again, baby, I can't handle it if you leave," Yohji pleaded, his eyes panicked.

"I'm tired," Aya wanted to shove Yohji away to keep him from shaking him any further. His attempts were useless. Sure, he could get around, but he wouldn't be able to do missions yet, or even stay awake for long periods of time. He'd seen the same thing with Aya-chan. His body wasn't used to so much stimulus anymore.

"You can't sleep! You have to stay awake!" Yohji screamed. Ken and Omi were already reaching between them, shoving Yohji off him.

"Stop it! You're going to hurt him! Let him rest a bit!" Ken shouted, hitting Yohji hard enough to snap the man out of his hysterics.

Aya collapsed back into the seat, gasping for his breath. He couldn't handle Yohji's fit right now.

"Aya, I just can't…I can't be without you again," Yohji had tears streaming down his cheeks. Aya reached up and touched one of them, feeling its wetness at his touch.

"Why don't you two get in the back seat. I'll drive," Ken said, his hands up. Aya opened his door and walked to the back door, switching seats with Omi. Yohji followed him, switching with Ken.

Aya leaned over and rested his head against Yohji's shoulder. Yohji felt so warm against him. Aya let his eyes droop closed, exhaling deeply. He just needed to sleep.

Author's notes: Thanks JollyBigSis for your reviews. :3

and the badness is still coming, just in smaller waves now. I'm so bad!


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Yohji pounded on the bathroom door.

"Open it, Aya!" He shouted.

"Go away!" Aya shouted back. Yohji could hear him cough at the effort.

"What if you need my help?" Yohji picked the lock and walked in. He knew Aya might be stubborn, but Aya couldn't go from room to room without getting tired, so Yohji had made it his mission to be at his side every minute of every day just in case he got dizzy or something.

He'd been asleep when Aya had snuck out. He'd heard the bathroom door shut. It had taken him a second, but then he'd realized that it hadn't been a dream, Aya was home!

"Not everything qualifies as 'us time', Yohji," Aya growled turning on the shower and stepping in.

"Yeah, well this one _does_ qualify. You're not having a goddamned shower!" Yohji caught the shower door before Aya could slam it.

"I'm not an invalid! Get out !" Aya screamed. Yohji knew Aya couldn't really hurt him badly right now. He could hit him, but he wasn't up to full strength and the effort would exhaust him. So Aya had resorted to yelling at him instead.

Ken and Omi were staying clear of Aya right now unless Aya came in the room they were already in. They'd said they shouldn't smother Aya.

"Compromise a bit. You're not dirty, you just want a shower because it feels good. So lets make it a bath so I don't have to worry about you falling and bashing your brains out, okay?" Aya frowned but nodded. Yohji slapped the plug into place and helped Aya, who glared at him, to sit down without falling down. The tub was an easy place to fall when it was already wet, he wasn't going to let Aya slip.

"Mind if I join you?" he wasn't going to jump in the tub with him without permission. Aya had compromised and Yohji would have to as well.

"If you think you must. Just…make it fast, the air is cold."

Yohji made quick work of his clothes and then slid into the tub, closing the shower doors to keep the hot air inside.

"Which side do you want me on?" Yohji asked. He was pretty sure he knew what the answer was. Aya wanted him as far away as possible. Was being around him really that bad? Yohji supposed so. I mean he was pretty well at rock bottom and Aya had just kind of walked in on seeing him look that bad. Aya hadn't even known that much time had passed. So to Aya it was like waking up and suddenly noticing that your boyfriend was all fucked up. He'd probably reeked of booze, too.

"I swear to god you're like a fucking puppy! Get over here!" Aya growled, glaring at him. Aya let Yohji squeeze in behind him.

Yohji wrapped his arms loosely around Aya, he inhaled the scent of Aya's hair.

"If you start to cry again you're out," Aya warned.

"Been doing that a lot, have I?"

"Like a girl. Leave you alone for three years and you turn into a wuss," Aya teased, leaning his head back to grin at him. Yohji snorted at that, kissing Aya's forehead.

"What's been going on since I left?"

"Um, well, I've been here drinking and Ken and Omi are temporarily helping out the Crashers. Of course that'll end now that you've come home," Aya felt so warm in his arms. The only real thing in his life.

"Which part?"

"Both, I hope. Ken and Omi are back for sure. Kritiker already called to make sure you were with us. I think we forgot to sign you out of the hospital. We were just too damned eager to get you home. Kritiker said as soon as you're back on your feet we'll be getting our marching orders again."

"You don't sound too enthusiastic about that. Why didn't you join the Crashers with Omi and Ken? Or better yet, why didn't you continue with Weiss? You three can hold your own." He could feel Aya's body relaxing. He was going to fall asleep.

"I couldn't work for someone who created the monsters that did this to you. I just…"

"We're all monsters, Yohji. You should know that already. We've all killed. How can you claim to love a killer and then refuse to work for someone because they send out killers? It doesn't make any sense. They weren't like that because of Kritiker. They just had better organization and a place to hide because of Kritiker. Don't think for a second that Kritiker made them. No more than Kritiker made us."

"I wonder sometimes. I would've killed the bastards that killed Asuka, but I would've stopped after that. The same with you. You wanted Takatori dead, so you would've killed him and then moved on. Ken would've gone after his revenge, too. And, if it weren't for Kritiker Omi could've lived a normal…"

"You're wrong on all counts, Yohji. Without Kritiker we would all be dead without any of our revenge. They gave us what we needed, and we chose to use it to kill every time. Most importantly, and don't think for a second otherwise, you and I would not be here together, if we weren't in this line of work. Even if we had magically survived, we wouldn't have even looked at each other. We're way too different. Its amazing we even got together while working together. So before you go pissing on your job maybe you should look at it in another light."

Yohji winced in pain suddenly when Aya's hand tightened brutally on his forearm.

"Anything else you want to tell me?" Aya asked, his voice suddenly icy. Yohji looked down at the track marks on his arm.

"How about I just say I'm an idiot, you can agree, and we can drop it," Yohji pulled his arm away. He hadn't intended for Aya to find out. Hell, while Aya was downstairs forcing himself to eat despite Omi's warning Yohji had run upstairs and thrown any evidence out. He hadn't had any more in a week. Mainly because he was out of money other than the little bit he had left to buy alcohol.

"I stopped last week. I swear…I ran out of money. I was actually weighing my options, and then you woke up. Now I have one option. One I'm happy about, and that's cleaning myself up so I can spend my days and nights with you."

"I believe you. And you had better be telling the truth. I won't put up with lies from you. I won't watch you waste away, Yohji. If you let me help I'll help. If you don't I'll kill you."

"Your eyelids are drooping," Yohji pointed out with a grin. Aya was too cute like this. Of course Aya wouldn't be sleeping this often all the time, probably just for the few first days, so Yohji was going to enjoy it while he could.

"Are not," Aya argued, forcing his eyes back open.

"You're so cute when you're falling asleep. Maybe we should keep you like this," Yohji teased, kissing his shoulder.

"I'm awake," Aya sat up straight and stretched, accidentally punching Yohji in the face.

"Oh!" Aya gasped with surprise, looking at his fist, then at Yohji. He peered down to make sure there wasn't any blood.

"I'm fine. We'll have to work on your co-ordination before you kill me," Yohji laughed, standing up and pulling Aya with him.

"Looks like I don't need co-ordination to kill you," Aya teased.

"Was that a joke? Did you grow a sense of humour in your sleep?" Yohji laughed, grabbing two towels.

Author's notes: Thanks Rin for your review. =3


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Aya kept Yohji's sleeping form in his sights out of the corner of his eye while he went online.

He had a bad feeling and intended to make sure his intuition was false. Those men, the ones that had harmed him, they were alive. Somehow he knew it.

Their leader had given him his full name. _Remember the name Denjiro Hayashi, and when you get to hell, get the place ready for me_. Aya had remembered the name.

He typed it into the search engine. He scanned his eyes over the huge list of articles. They all seemed to be saying the same thing. Denjiro Hayash and another member of his team had been arrested. The others had been killed when they'd resisted. Maximum security prison. Why the hell hadn't Kritiker killed them? The only thing he could relax a little about was the fact that his own name and photo hadn't been released. The victim had been anonymous, thank God! The last thing he wanted was for everyone who would ever meet him to know it was him that had been raped and tortured by those freaks.

He quickly shut the computer down. When he had the chance to escape from Yohji's prying eyes he would have to go and visit Denjiro. He was going to kill the man.

Aya stood up and walked over to Yohji, who's brow furrowed a second before he opened his eyes.

"Mornin, Aya," Yohji murmured. Aya ran his fingers over Yohji's cheek. He didn't want Yohji to get involved, so he wasn't going to tell him about his plans.

It would only be a few days before Aya would be on his feet enough to visit Denjiro. He was going to shake the man up a bit, and then visit him a few months later to kill him. The few months would give him time to be fully on his feet.

"I'm going to start training again today. Its been three days now, its time I started pulling my weight again," Aya knew Yohji would be pissed, but Yohji shocked the hell out of him by grabbing him by the arm and whipping him at the wall, pinning him there with his arm behind his back.

"Did anyone say anything about you not pulling your weight, Aya? No, no one! You're already doing too much! Even Omi and Ken are worried that you're overdoing it!" Yohji had to be joking, all Aya had been doing was cooking and cleaning. He hadn't been on missions. Hell, he hadn't even touched his sword since he'd been home. He'd only been in the flower shop after hours to do inventory.

"I'm not a pet, Yohji. If you want a real cat then go and buy one! Whether you decide to come back or not I am still Weiss. Now let go!" Aya slid one of his legs backward fast, slipping his foot inbetween Yohji's and slammed his heel upward. Yohji backed up fast enough to protect himself, but had to let go of Aya's arm in the process.

Aya spun on his heel and punched Yohji hard in the stomach, doubling him over.

"Don't _ever_ pin me down again." Aya warned. He felt cold all over. How dare Yohji do that to him! After what those animals had done? Maybe Yohji had forgotten with time, but Aya didn't have those years. He wasn't afraid of those men, but he would _not_ feel like that ever again.

"Shit, Aya, I'm sorry!" Yohji gasped, realizing what he'd done.

"And don't _ever _feel sorry for me. I sure as hell don't and you shouldn't either." Aya realized he shouldn't have said anything at all. Yohji was going to read way too far into that comment.

"Shit, Aya, you think you _deserved_ that? We deserve a lot, but that?" right on cue. Aya loved him, but damned if he didn't want to kill Yohji right now!

"That is not what I was saying, now drop it!" Aya stormed past him. He didn't want to be having this fight right now.

"Aya, wait!" Yohji made a grab for him before he could leave the room. Aya dodged, swinging a kick for Yohji's head. If Yohji insisted on fighting Aya supposed it was the best training he could get right now.

Yohji dodged the hit, grabbing his leg and flipping him over. Aya rolled to his feet, launching himself at Yohji again, throwing punch after punch at him, relentless in his attack so that Yohji would have no time to give an attack of his own. He needed the exercise, so he didn't want it to be over because Yohji gave him more of a beat down than his body could handle right now. Of course that didn't mean he was opposed to being hit. He needed the body conditioning again. He highly doubted that his teammates crept into his room and lay a beating into his body every day while he was recovering, so he was going to have to get his resistance back.

He landed a few punches on Yohji before the other assassin got serious and started really fighting back. Yohji had finally realized he wasn't going to come out of this unscathed unless he took Aya down. Good!

A hard punch to the cheek sent Aya staggering back. Aya dropped down and swept his leg under Yohji, who easily jumped over and kicked him hard in the shoulder. Aya's eyes widened when he felt his shoulder pop out.

"Oh! Shit! Aya!" Yohji ran to his side. Aya stood up and gently shoved him away with his other arm. Aya walked over to the wall and lined his shoulder up in its socket before slamming it against the wall. He shouted. Shit! That hurt way more than he remembered it ever hurting before.

He pounded his fist on the wall angrily. What else wouldn't he be able to handle.

"I went too far, Aya! I'm sorry," Yohji yanked him into his arms, shaking as he held onto him.

"I needed the training. Thank you, Yohji. We'll pick this up again in an hour," Aya looked up at Yohji's surprised face as the other man drew back.

"You mean you planned this? You…"

"Not exactly. I planned to make you fight me, I just hadn't decided on a method of coercion yet."

"Asshole!" Yohji screamed, storming out of the room. Aya hung his head for a second. Had he hurt Yohji's feelings or something?

Author's notes: Thanks JollyBigSis for your review. :)

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, my power went out and I had to leave before I could post.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Yohji watched Aya closely. It didn't take a genius to realize Aya was thinking dark thoughts. Something definitely wasn't right.

Ken and Omi didn't seem to notice anything was off as they helped Aya train. It had been two weeks now. Aya was getting his speed and dexterity back. He looked a lot better.

Yohji himself was starting to look better now that he was eating properly and had cut out beer and drugs from his system. His eyes weren't as sunken in and his skin wasn't as sallow. But it was a long way before he would be himself again.

He still got violent shakes and couldn't sleep properly. It didn't seem to matter much though, as Aya wrapped his arms around him every time his body started going through the withdrawal symptoms again.

Right now he was watching Aya and Ken spar. Ken had thrown him a plastic sword, refusing to practice with the real thing. Ken had fake Bugnucks on as well. It wasn't out of the ordinary that they trained together with fake weapons. Yohji was the only one that didn't have a fake weapon. But he was always careful enough not to hurt the others.

He watched Aya shove the plastic sword against Ken's neck. He was a split second off, though, as Ken's claws touched his stomach before the sword even touched him.

Aya looked pissed off. They all knew not to take it personally. Aya was mad at himself for not being able to defeat them. Hell, he'd even missed blocking one of Omi's plastic darts with the sword. It had struck him in the stomach.

On a normal basis there was no way Omi would've hit him. Hell, if Omi had ever hit him Yohji would've laughed his ass off. But right now it wasn't funny. Especially not to Aya. If he laughed Aya would probably shove that plastic sword down his throat.

"Yohji?" Aya said questioningly, raising an eyebrow at him.

"What?" Yohji said as innocently as possible. It was like Aya could see right through him.

"Fight me?" Aya sounded a bit self-conscious as he asked. Oh! Aya had thought Yohji wouldn't want to train with him after having seen him lose to Ken.

"Anything you want, babe," Yohji could see Aya's eyes darken at the pet name. Aya detested pet names.

Yohji grinned from ear to ear as he stood in front of Aya, getting ready. He wasn't going to be much help training Aya. He himself was out of practice.

"Kick his ass, Aya!" Ken cheered. Aya positioned the plastic sword like it was the real deal, taking a defensive stance.

"I intend to," Aya answered a split second before launching at him. Yohji sidestepped, but Aya predicted his movements and swung the sword around in almost a figure eight and snapped it against his stomach.

"Again!" Aya ordered, sounding more like himself. Yohji was glad to see that determined look on his face, like their leader was back. No one would believe Aya was exhausted and weakened by the look on his face. He looked deadly.

"Nice to see that look on your face, baby." Yohji grinned, lunging at Aya, letting his wires loose. Aya dodged the first attack, but the second one wrapped around his body, trapping his arms at his sides.

"Good to see you still know how to fight, Yohji," Aya grinned. Yohji nodded, letting his wires loosen before pulling them back. The last thing he wanted was to really hurt Aya.

"Now with fists." Aya tossed the sword aside and moved in quickly, striking him in the jaw hard enough to make him stagger backward. Aya kept coming, hit after hit until Yohji finally managed to grab one of his wrists and swing him around before stepping in front of him and flinging Aya over his shoulder.

Aya coughed from his place on the ground.

Yohji helped him up, wrapping his arms around Aya and kissing him on top of the head.

"I'm getting closer. I can feel it. I'm getting my strength back. Soon I'll be able to do missions again!" Aya sounded so excited. It was strange to hear him like that. But Yohji wasn't complaining. Aya was happy and that was all that he could ever wish for.

"I noticed. You're getting your co-ordination back way faster than I could've expected."

"And you're getting your weight back. I'm so proud of you," Aya leaned up and kissed him gently. It was almost too much. They hadn't had much physical contact other than holding each other while sleeping. The kiss almost had him completely undone.

Yohji deepened the kiss enthusiastically, drawing the air out of Aya's lungs while tightening his arms around him.

Ken's loud clearing of his throat made Aya leap out of his arms, blushing bright red.

"Hey, no one made you watch, Ken," Yohji snickered. The boy blushed even brighter than Aya.

To hell with Ken. Yohji grabbed Aya around the waist and kissed him again. He needed that taste again. Aya gasped with surprise, but didn't fight. Aya melted in his arms, kissing back just as vigorously. Yohji was hard as a rock. He pressed against Aya to let the other man feel his need. Aya's hands tangled in his hair, trapping him in place so that he couldn't pull back for air.

Like he really wanted to! He'd gladly pass out from asphyxiation if it meant he could kiss Aya longer. He'd been denied a good kiss from Aya for so long. I mean he'd deeply kissed Aya's comatose form every day for three years. It wasn't the same as having the real thing.

Aya was a damned good kisser. Licking and nibbling and pressing in painfully tight. Yohji could hear Ken and Omi leave the room, giving them privacy.

Yohji manoeuvred Aya toward the couch, laying him down without breaking the contact. It wasn't going to be sex. Aya wasn't ready for that yet, not after what had happened. But damned if Yohji could stop himself from pressing their bodies together and slipping his hand down the redhead's pants to palm him.

Aya growled into his mouth, thrusting into his hand while the kiss intensified. Aya's one hand stayed in his hair while the other one reciprocated by wrapping around Yohji's shaft. Yohji had to force himself not to come on the spot. He wanted this to last a little while.

He wanted to take Aya in his mouth, but damned if he wanted Aya's hand to leave him. Instead he kissed Aya senseless until he came. Aya was right behind him, crying out into his mouth.

Yohji rested his head against Aya's shoulder.

"Goddamn I missed you," Yohji panted.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Aya had left Yohji sleeping on the couch. He'd drugged the whole team to make sure no one followed him, then he'd stolen Yohji's watch.

Yohji would be pissed when he found out what Aya had done, but it couldn't be helped. Hell, the whole team would be pissed.

He'd contacted Kritiker and asked them for a false ID so that he could get into the prison. He was just visiting this time, but next time it would be more than that.

When he'd demanded from Manx why they hadn't just killed the bastards she'd told him that the only way to get to him in time before he would've been killed was to send in the police, who were only a block away, instead of waiting for a Kritiker team to mobilize.

Aya was at peace with that answer. It meant that he could have his revenge. He was under the name Rae Ito. Aya didn't have to worry, though. The guards had all been replaced with Kritiker agents, who would let him in wherever the hell he wanted.

He wanted clearance to visit his assailants where there would be plenty of other inmates watching. It was pointless otherwise.

He wasn't here to kill Denjiro Hayashi. Not yet. No, he was here to make sure Denjiro would become the bitch of anyone who was taking the time to watch.

So Aya was making his way through the cafeteria with four guards at his sides. Not that he needed them with Yohji's watch on him and his sword tucked away under his coat. The guards, being Kritiker agents, hadn't taken his weapons away. They had just smiled and nodded him in.

Aya walked right over to the table where Denjiro and the other man from his team were seated. They just stared at him like they'd seen a ghost.

Aya sat down on the table where they were seated and grinned.

"What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy to see me, baby. I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. I knew you'd miss me. But I'm here now," Aya had to laugh at the fear on their faces. Not fear of him, but of the other men that stared at them. Aya leaned right into Denjiro's face, so close that he could feel the other man's breath.

"I've been in a coma for three years, for me what you did was just a week ago," Aya whispered. "So don't think that fear is what kept me from coming after you. Right now I'm giving you a taste of what you did to me. More than likely once I leave and any one of these prisoners can get you alone you'll be their bitch. But don't worry, when I give them long enough to torture you I'll come back. What they do to you won't even be a third of what I'm going to do to you. Wait for me." Aya kissed him on the cheek, standing up and walking away.

The guards looked pissed off as they led him away.

"I know I said I'd kill him, and I will. But right now I needed to put the fear of God into him. When I show up to kill him it will be like any other mission. In the cover of darkness where no one can see me. You should've known that. No one can know about Weiss."

"We weren't sure how you were going to kill him without anyone realizing it. We certainly hadn't expected that display. We will be reporting this," one of them snapped at him.

"Do you think he deserves to be killed easily after the things he did? He killed Knight and Pawn and nearly killed me. I'm going to torture him mentally before I kill him." Aya didn't know why he was bothering to explain himself. It wasn't like he gave a shit what they thought. He supposed it was because he was going to need them to let him in when it would be time for him to really kill the bastard.

Aya walked out of the building and did a dead stop when he saw Yohji waiting, leaning against his car and looking pissed.

"What are you doing here Aya?" Yohji demanded, coming toward him. Yohji held out his hand. Aya narrowed his eyes, removing the watch and handing it to him.

"Visiting." Yohji punched him hard in the jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Did you really think you could drug me so easily? I didn't drink a single sip, I poured it in a plant. I knew something was up, so I faked it and I followed you here. I have no idea what the hell you were thinking, but you're going to have a lot of explaining to do when we get home."

"I know." Aya rose to his feet and walked over to his Porsche. He didn't know what he was going to say to Ken and Omi. There was no excusing what he had done. Regardless, it was something he had to do. He'd been planning to get even more physical with the man. Maybe a real kiss to prove to himself that he wasn't afraid of him. But he couldn't bring himself to get a real taste of the man. It was too disgusting. No, he didn't want to kiss anyone other than Yohji. Just kissing the man on the cheek made him feel queasy.

Aya floored it out of the parking lot. He'd had enough of this place. He didn't want to go home either, but he wasn't a coward. He would face them and would tell them why he'd drugged them. Normally he wouldn't give a damn about explaining himself, but he owed them after drugging them. Omi would forgive him, but Ken was going to go ballistic. Hell, Yohji would definitely lay into him when he got back.

Aya would protect himself. He'd let Yohji hit him once because he owed it to him. He wouldn't let him do it twice. Besides, fighting against Yohji when the man really wanted to kick his ass would be good training for the both of them. He himself was on adrenaline after being so close to Denjiro without killing him or even hurting him. He'd wanted nothing more than to pull out his sword and cut the man's head off. But that was too good for him. He deserved to suffer.

Aya was going to pull the man apart piece by piece, knuckle by knuckle. He was going to shatter the man's bones like he'd done to him.

Author's notes: Thanks, JollyBigSis for your reviews. =)

And Happy New Year to everyone!


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Yohji wanted to kick the shit out of Aya, but right now the swordsman was way too volatile.

Ken and Omi were sitting at the table across from Aya, who was fidgeting with his sword.

"Aya, I don't really give two shits about why the hell you would do something like that to us. You could've snuck out without knocking your team out," Ken growled, glaring at him.

"Ken's right. If you would've told us where you were going maybe we might've been able to help. Or maybe we could've just waited outside to drive you home. You nearly crashed your car on the way back because you're so damned pissed off," Yohji grabbed Aya's wrist hard enough to make the bones creak.

Omi said nothing, tracing circles on the table with his index finger.

"We all think its best right now if you left. You're a danger to us and we can't trust you anymore." Ken lowered his eyes as he said it, obviously feeling remorse even though he was sticking to his convictions.

"You're kicking me out?" Aya sounded so lost. Yohji wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around the swordsman. Aya had been through hell. They all knew that. Hell, the attack on him seemed to be yesterday to the redhead.

"For now. We will only see you when there are missions. Until then you're on your own," Yohji could feel the tears start to flow down his cheeks as he said it. Aya was the love of his life, and here he was making him leave.

"Your bags are already packed," Omi finally spoke up.

Aya nodded like he understood, when Yohji knew that Aya was on the verge of tears. It would be hidden from the others, but Yohji knew Aya.

Aya leaned in and kissed his cheek, standing up.

"I'm sorry for what I put you through," Aya said very quietly, standing up. "Don't cry for me, Yohji, I'm not worth it." Yohji was sobbing now, burying his head in his arms on the table. Aya's hands smoothed through his hair, trying to soothe him for a moment before he felt Aya leave him.

Omi was there suddenly, wrapping his arms around Yohji.

"I know it hurts, but you have to let him go," Omi said very quietly, kissing the top of his head.

"What if it were Ken. Would you be able to let him go?" Yohji asked, accepting the comfort.

"I'm not as strong as you, Yohji. You'll get through this. We'll get through it together."

Yohji's heart was breaking as he heard Aya pick up his bags and leave the apartment. He'd contacted Kritiker and let them know what had happened. They were reassigning Aya to the Crashers until they were sure he wasn't a danger to Weiss.

"Its only temporary until he gets himself together," Ken assured. Yohji looked at the boy, who's eyes were red rimmed. He and Omi were affected, too. But he knew it was more because they had to watch him break down.

"I don't really want him to go. He has to go, but I want him here with me." There wasn't a thing he could do to comfort himself unless he went out and bought himself a stiff drink. But he'd promised Aya he would quit. More than anything he wanted to go back outside and find his dealer. He could forget his own name when he had the needle in his arm.

"The Crashers will know what to do with him. He's not as close with them as he is with us, so they won't fall for any of his bullshit. it's the safest place for him right now," Ken was wringing his hands, looking anywhere but at Yohji.

"I hope we have a mission soon. Aya was afraid that we would try to stop him from getting his revenge on the men who attacked him. I don't know what he did in the jail, but he hadn't a single drop of blood on him. So he didn't get his revenge yet. He needs us right now more than anything, but we can't be there for him if we can't trust him." Yohji swiped at the tears on his cheeks. He didn't know how long it would be before he saw Aya again. Hell, he wasn't even sure he could trust him on missions right now.

Yohji grabbed the phone when it rang.

"Yeah, this is Balinese. What the hell did you just say?" Yohji all but screamed. His heart was beating a mile a minute. This couldn't be right! How did someone escape a maximum security jail!

Shit! And they'd just sent Aya away! If they'd kept him there long enough to hear him out Aya wouldn't be in danger now!

Yohji hung up the phone and dialled the Crashers.

"Is Abyssinian there? What do you mean he hasn't shown up yet? WHAT!!!" Aya was a stubborn bastard, but how could he completely abandon everyone? He'd called the Crashers and told them he needed time alone before he could join them. He needed some time to figure out where he belonged.

"If he shows up tell him that Denjiro and his partner escaped! They'll be after him!"

Yohji ran his hands through his hair when he hung up. This couldn't be happening!

"What's going on, Yohji?" Omi asked, swallowing hard.

"The men that attacked Aya just escaped from prison. And Aya called the Crashers and told them he needed some time alone before he could join them.

Yohji dialled Aya's cellphone. A ringing sound to his left startled him. Aya had left his phone behind.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Aya sewed up his slashed wrist. No, he didn't deserve to be released from his pain yet. He had to live through it. All he could think of was why he couldn't join the Crashers. They'd wanted him to take Knight's name. It was something he just couldn't do, not after he'd caused the man's death.

He should've just knocked him out and run like hell. Instead he'd been tied up, being almost completely silent until they'd taken a sledge hammer to his knees. They'd broken his fingers one by one, they'd used knives to open wounds all over his body.

Then, when he couldn't even crawl away they'd piled on top of him, holding him down to stop his feeble struggles. They'd torn his clothes apart and held him down while Denjiro fucked him. You're _mine. You will always belong to me until you take your last breath_. They'd torn hair off his head, they'd torn his arms out of the sockets to keep him from trying to belly crawl. Then he'd started screaming. He'd been silently begging Yohji to show up and save him. Anyone, just not the police that had shown up. He didn't want it made public what had happened to him.

They'd turned him over onto his back so that he had to watch them as they, one by one, claimed his body. Their kisses were so powerful that he couldn't even bite down. And once they were done that they'd fucked his mouth, holding him still while he gagged and struggled to breathe.

"I will kill you," Aya had hissed, glaring fiercely at Denjiro before he'd been struck in the temple so hard he'd blacked out for a second.

Aya punched the wall as hard as he could, shattering the drywall. It didn't matter. He'd already lost his security deposit when he'd broken the mirror and painted words on the wall in blood. _Ran is dead! _Aya punched the wall again and again, wanting to scream with rage.

He'd tried to end his life, but he didn't deserve relief. He deserved to live through the pain, to be haunted by it. It didn't matter that his body was no longer broken. His mind was irrevocably changed for the worst.

He wanted to kill people, wanted to take his rage on the first person that spoke out of turn.

A loud knock on the door startled him. It wasn't Weiss, that much he knew. No one would guess that he was hiding out in the place he'd been gassed out in before. That was because it held such powerful memories that he felt dead while he sat there.

Aya went to the door. It was probably the manager coming to give him shit for breaking the place apart.

Aya swung the door open and came face to face with his worst fear. Denjiro was standing there grinning at him. Aya shook his head, trying to make the nightmare go away. No, this was real.

Aya stepped aside. There was no point in slamming and locking the door, the man would just pick the lock.

"Either get inside or leave!" Aya barked, surprising the man, who walked inside, looking weary of his surroundings.

"You surprised me, Kitten. Who could face the person who raped them repeatedly. Who could get in that person's face and kiss them on the cheek? I know I couldn't. I had to run like hell after the pain you'd caused me. I couldn't handle their filthy hands on me. Regardless, I promised you that you belonged to me. You've just made me want you even more."

"Hn," Aya glared at him even though his heart was thudding desperately in his chest. No one would be coming for him this time. No one would even know he was missing.

"Is that all you have to say to me? Not even a smart ass comment about killing me? I didn't expect any pleading from you. I feel like I've known you forever. Wanted you forever. Now I can have you all to myself." His grin made Aya feel sick to his stomach.

Aya wanted to lunge across the room and grab his sword, but there was no way he was going to back away from Denjiro. He couldn't bring himself to move, trying to prove to himself that he was the bigger dog.

Aya continued to glare as Denjiro cupped his cheek, stroking a thumb over his lips. It was when the man leaned in that Aya snapped his head forward, head butting him in the face.

He ran to his sword, but was caught by the arm before he could reach it. Denjiro's huge hand closed all the way around his upper arm, hauling him backward. Aya aimed a kick backward, but found his leg caught by none other than the other living member of Denjiro's team. _Where the hell did he come from?_

Aya was thrown at the wall so hard that he saw stars. Maybe if he hadn't cut his wrist and bled all over the walls he might be up to fighting better than this. But his body was taking too long to get his feet under him to race toward his sword.

"Its unfortunate that you still love Balinese. Regardless of how he treated you I can bet that the display of serious insanity that caused you to throw blood all over the place was due to him kicking you out. You won't be able to join us if he still lives. You're getting him killed just like Knight and Pawn. Everything you touch goes to hell."

"Then you'd best stay away from me," Aya hissed, glaring. Denjiro barked out a harsh laugh.

"If you don't come willingly we will hunt him down and rip out his spine. Do you understand? If we could take you down so easily how well do you think he'll do against us." Aya hated to admit it but they were right. Yohji's heart was torn and he was still going through withdrawal. There was no way Yohji would be alright.

Denjiro reached down and grabbed Aya's wrist, jerking him to his feet and then pulled him hard until Aya stumbled into him. Those strong arms wrapped around him.

"Ah. Now I can feel your fear. You hide it well, but you can't hide your heartbeat." Denjiro chuckled.

"Coward!" Aya hissed in his face.

"Am I a coward because I want to get you alone?"

"I already am alone! You're a coward because you hide behind threats instead of fighting me face to face!" Aya shoved his thumbs into Denjiro's neck, making the man choke and release him.

Aya lunged for his sword again only to find a dagger piercing his lower back. He crumpled to the floor for a second before climbing back to his feet. Another and another, daggers were piercing him all over until he dropped.

"You are way too strong for someone your size. Tell me, is it stubbornness that keeps you strong?" Denjiro's partner asked.

"A dead man can always find his footing," Aya hissed, kicking out at the man as he wrapped an arm around his neck. It was useless, he couldn't get out of the man's grip as he was choked into unconsciousness.

All he could think of were those fingers shoving into his body to open him enough to fit those hard members inside his body. First one at a time, and then two at once while he screamed. He had torn on the inside, he'd felt like he was being ripped in half. He'd refused to cry. He wouldn't give them that satisfaction. But that didn't mean he could keep from screaming in pain and horror.

This didn't happen to men! It wasn't supposed to! He couldn't stop remembering how his bones had shifted under the skin at unnatural angles. His ribs had been broken, his breathing was hoarse from where the bone had started to puncture the lung.

Every time he blacked out they woke him up so that he would feel everything.

_You feel so good, baby, like your body was meant for mine. Its too bad we have to kill you. I'd have liked to keep you. I could use a pet kitten. _

He'd been humiliated even more when the police had shown up. Denjiro and one of his men were still inside his body when the police opened fire. Those strangers had known exactly what had happened to him without knowing why he'd deserved it.

He'd finally passed out, only to awake up under Yohji's touch. He'd wanted to cry, he'd felt filthy, like his touch would infect Yohji. He'd still felt like Denjiro's thick length was still inside him, ripping him apart. Yohji had needed him as much as Aya had needed Yohji. He'd been relieved when Yohji had held him, only to get annoyed when Yohji had become overbearing. Regardless, Aya had needed him. He hadn't shown it well, wanting to keep his pride. But Yohji was exactly what he'd needed.

Then he had made an error that had cost him that love, that support. Yohji had turned his back on him. And as much as it tore his heart in two and made him feel dead inside, Yohji's tears had broken him. He'd tried to reassure Yohji even as he left. Yohji hadn't deserved to be broken by his foolishness. Ken and Omi hadn't deserved to be in danger because of him. That's why he needed to disappear, to find a final battleground to die in.

The Crashers didn't deserve to have Knight replaced by the man who'd gotten him killed. And Aya-Chan didn't deserve a brother that was tainted by blood. Aya had nothing.

Author's notes: Thanks Rin, Chinchan, and JollyBigSis for your reviews.

There is definitely more angsty moments to come. Sorry JollyBigSis, but Aya has bad times coming for him. :)


	43. Chapter 43

_Chapter 43_

_Yohji paused at the door, not quite sure what to expect. Would Denjiro be inside looking for Aya? Or would Aya be inside broken beyond repair?_

"_He wouldn't come back here," Ken protested in a whisper. _

"_That's exactly why he would be here, because we know its one of the last places on earth he would ever want to go!" Yohji whispered back, readying his wires. He kicked the door in._

_What he was greeted with was far from what he'd expected. The room was destroyed completely and there was blood everywhere. He didn't need a DNA test to tell him it was Aya's._

_He would've guessed it was all from Denjiro's attack except for the bloodied words written on the wall in what he recognized as Aya's beautiful handwriting. Ran is dead! I am not a Knight! _Was written all over the walls.

Well, that explained why Aya hadn't gone to the Crashers. _They must've asked him to take Knight's name now that Rook is back in action and Knight is dead_. Yohji shook his head at how cruel the idea must've been to Aya.

There, in the far corner was a dagger covered in blood.

"We're too fucking late!" Yohji shouted, kicking the bed as hard as he could. How could it have taken him this long to realize this was where Aya had been holed up? He was supposed to be Aya's lover, the one who understood him more than anyone, so how had he missed this? _How could I miss the signs of his mind breaking?_

Yohji could feel the tears streaming down his face as he looked at the destruction around him.

"Its not your fault. How could you have known how fragile his mind was?" Omi said, touching his arm.

"We should've known! We're supposed to be his friends! How the hell could we have not known something was wrong with him when he tried to drug us? That's not Aya! That's not how his mind works!" Yohji sat down on the bloodied bed and hung his head.

"He…he was crying out to us and we pissed on him," Ken acknowledged, looking on the verge of tears himself.

"They have him again, don't they?" Omi asked, looking mortified.

"Yeah," Yohji pointed to the dagger in the corner.

"Its like the ones he had in him after the mission. Fuck!" Ken screamed. They paused at the sound of commotion in the hall. They must've been louder than they'd guessed.

As quietly as possible they escaped out the window. Aya had not only stayed in the same motel, but the same room as well! _That must've been hell on earth for him. Not only to come to this place but to have the same thing happen to him_.

"Where should we look next?" Ken asked as they piled into Yohji's car.

"Lets check the last place they took him to. it's the only place I can think of that they could hide him," Once again Yohji felt completely helpless. Aya was hurting and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it.

He sped as fast as he could to the beaten down old building that Aya had screamed in. The place where his body had been ripped apart. A place where his limbs had barely been attached after the brutal assault.

Yohji had stared down into that beautiful face over and over each day, unable to look at his marred body. He'd seen the evidence of Denjiro's handiwork long after Aya's casts had been removed.

At first the Crashers had visited every day, reading to Aya's comatose body. But it only took six months before they gave up and left him locked inside what Yohji could only imagine was a place full of nightmares waiting at every corner, threatening to swallow up the redhead.

Yohji had retreated in a whole other way. True enough he still visited Aya every single day, but it wasn't enough. He hadn't been able to rouse his lover, so he'd turned to drinking, pretending he was having that drinking game again, holding Aya in his lap while they'd kissed and touched.

But every time he woke from drinking he was faced with the very real horror that Aya hadn't been in his arms, that Aya remained trapped inside his own head. That was when Yohji had turned to drugs. Anything to keep from realizing that this was very real.

Ken and Omi had all but stopped visiting Aya, as well. It was too much for the boys to handle, their leader turned comatose. They were all used to Aya being their rock, solid and cold. Seeing him broken was…it was just wrong!

They'd never imagined how they would be without him glaring at them and barking orders. Keeping them sane and safe. Protecting them way more than they'd realized.

Then the unthinkable had happened. Aya had woken under his kiss, like in a fairy tale. Aya had been shaky at best. They had been so amazed at his strength and determination that they hadn't realized just how broken he was inside.

Yohji came to a skidding halt outside the building that Aya had screamed himself raw. He dreaded looking inside. He hadn't had the guts to look inside after the police had finished with the place.

Now he was being forced to look. He gasped as he entered the building, feeling his chest tighten as he looked at the dried blood on the ground. The chair that Aya had been strapped to. And even worse, the claw marks in the ground.

"Yohji, the blood is old. He wasn't here!" Ken shouted, bringing him out of his stupor.

"Maybe not recently, but that's his blood. Those are his claw marks in the ground. And that is what shattered his bones," Yohji pointed to the sledge hammer in the far corner. _Why didn't the police remove that thing? _

Yohji looked at the torn up floorboards. _They were here, even if it was just briefly, they were here! What was trapped there? Weapons? Money? That goddamned sledge hammer? _

Yohji didn't know.

Author's notes: thanks Rin and JollyBigSis for your reviews. :)


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Aya glared at Denjiro, who had handcuffed his right wrist to a bolt he had put in the wall.

"You've certainly been full of surprises, Aya," Denjiro said the name like it was a disease.

"You know, when we sent Kaito in to keep an eye on Weiss we had expected the blonde to be the leader of the team because he didn't seem to give a shit about anything but instant gratification. We started by watching the younger members of the team, believe it or not, just to count them out. The younger one could never be the leader. He was far too gentle, and his lover was way too brash. You seemed unbelievably shy." Denjiro chuckled.

"Kaito said that an innocent that he loved was there. He'd talked about you for years, how he'd regretted leaving you behind. And then suddenly there you were, working with the monsters. We had to be sure it was really Balinese that we were after. We'd of course thought he was Abyssinian by the way he operated and manipulated. Although we thought you were beautiful you slipped right under the radar. We'd followed you on a mission finally, only to have the blonde scream out that you were Abyssinian. We were shocked. But we tried to kill you anyway. When I saw your true colours all I could think about was that it would be amazing to crush your body beneath mine, to spread you wide open and take what I wanted. The other boys agreed to the idea as long as they had a fun time with you as well."

Aya tried to block him out. He didn't want to hear about this man's obsession with him. He was completely disgusted.

"So we finally put camera's in your home to keep an eye on you, to watch your schedule. It was clear that you were completely anal, so we knew it was only a matter of time before we would get you. Imagine our shock when the emotionless leader climbed in bed with Balinese and let the man fuck you into oblivion. The noises you made and the expressions on your face were pure bliss. It made me want you even more. So when you made a run for it we couldn't believe our lucky stars. Catching you from there on was easy without your team to back you up. I do regret that Knight and Pawn got involved in this scenario."

"He's done nothing but babble about how he wished he could've kept you, how he would've patched you up and kept you as a pet. Fucking you whenever he pleased and keeping you all to himself. He talked about how much he wanted to kill Balinese for stealing your heart before you had a chance with Denjiro," Denjiro's teammate said with a roll of his eyes.

"Imagine my surprise when my beloved Abyssinian showed up in the jail and proved to me that he was absolutely amazing. Of course your actions caused a hell of a lot of trouble for us. The guard that had been planning our escape helped us run before any more damage could be done to us. And now I have you. No one will stand in my way. You belong to me! And if that son of a bitch Balinese tries to take you from me I'll break his body like I did yours. His mind won't survive it like yours did."

Denjiro set a plate down in front of him. It was a simple bacon and eggs. Aya wrinkled his nose at it. Bacon always smelled like urine to him.

"If you don't eat I will force it down your throat, so be a good boy," Denjiro warned, leaning into Aya's face.

Aya looked over at the innocent man that was tied to a chair opposite him. Denjiro had picked a huge house where no one would hear you scream. He'd tied the owner to the chair and warned him to not make a sound.

"If you don't eat I will kill this man," Denjiro was trying a different approach. If he tried to force feed Aya he would get bitten.

"And why should that concern me?" Aya asked. Regardless of the tough front the put up he did care if the man died.

"Because it doesn't matter how you act, I've seen you care about others. You won't let him die over something as silly as breakfast. Now eat before you piss me off," Denjiro punched the table in front of Aya.

"How about I just bend you over the table and fuck you until you scream? I think you might just want to eat. The less you eat the less you can fight me off. And I love a struggle. The more you struggled the more I'll push into your body. Is that what you want? I will fuck you regardless, but I'll put it off if you eat."

"Hn," Aya glared at him, but started to eat. He knew it made him look weak. But it was all he could do to keep Denjiro's hands off him.

"Good boy," Denjiro leaned in and pressed a kiss into the side of his neck, licking and nibbling the skin there.

Aya shoved him away with a growl. _That bastard had better not touch me! I…I can't handle this again. Its too much. But I guess I deserve no less after the things I did. Maybe this is penance. _

Aya closed his eyes, trying to pretend he was back at home, with Yohji's arms around him.

"You're thinking about him again!" A hard strike to the jaw made Aya's head snap backward painfully.

"That's it. I'm leading him here, I'll show him what I'm going to do to you! I'll fuck you in front of him while he screams for you. And then I'll do it to him so that he knows how I feel about you. I'll break him apart. And all he'll be able to think about is saving your life. He'll die screaming for you!"

"He has nothing to do with this! I'm exhausted. I just need to sleep." Aya hissed between his teeth.

"If you want him safe they you'll get on your knees for me." Aya narrowed his eyes. He had to do this to keep Yohji safe.

Aya's mind was shrieking as he dropped out of the chair to his knees while Denjiro unbuckled his belt.

Aya slid his hands over Denjiro's hips, pretending he was Yohji as he unzipped him and took his member out.

Aya slid his mouth over him, taking him in fully. He swallowed down his gag reflex and pleasured him with his lips and tongue, trying not to gag as the man trusted into his mouth, grabbing him by the hair to hold him still.

"Goddamn, you're good at this. Have you had a lot of practice?" Aya didn't answer. He just wanted it done and over with.

He choked when Denjiro spurted into his mouth. He didn't want any part of the man to remain inside of him, but there wasn't a damned thing he could do.

Denjiro stroked himself back to hardness before shoving Aya down onto his face, pulling the leather pants down off his hips. He thrust his fingers inside without any lubrication. Aya hissed with pain as that large thick member pushed inside of him.

He didn't want this! It was too much! He hadn't even had time to get over the last assault. He couldn't…Tears flowed down Aya's face as he was taken hard. He could feel the blood inside of him, welling up as it tried to close wounds that were opened again and again.

"Shh, baby, it'll feel good if you just relax," Denjiro said in a soothing voice, kissing between his shoulder blades before grabbing a fistful of Aya's hair and pulling his head back so he could kiss the side of his neck, moving toward his jaw.

How could this possibly feel good? Yohji had been gentle with him, this was far from gentle. This was worse than what Kaito had done to him so long ago. This was hell, and he was forced to submit to it whether or not he wanted to.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Yohji knew he was sleeping, but he didn't want to wake from this dream. He didn't want the reality that Aya was trapped with those sadists.

Aya was in his arms, gasping in his lap as Yohji kissed him into a stupor. Aya groaned, rubbing up against him like a cat in heat.

"Baby, where are you?" Yohji asked between kisses.

"In your arms, where else?" Aya trailed kisses like liquid fire down Yohji's neck. Yohji clutched Aya's hips tight, driving inside of him, making Aya cry out with wild abandon, writhing in his lap.

"Aya, I want to hold you here forever," Yohji kissed him again, thrusting hard enough to make Aya scream with need.

"I'm not going anywhere, so stop whining and fuck me." Aya shoved him down so that Yohji's back was flat against the bed, giving Aya the freedom to ride him as hard as he wanted.

Aya was like a wild animal in the bed, driving Yohji mad. Aya's kiss swollen lips fascinated Yohji, making him want to yank Aya down with him and claim his mouth again. He knew better though, If he tried it Aya would fight him every step of the way. Aya wanted to dominate this moment and there was no way Yohji was going to break the mood.

"Where would they take you?" Yohji asked as Aya climbed off him only to lay down flush against him.

"Who? I don't understand what's going on, Yohji. Isn't this real?" Aya looked so innocent as he looked down at him, like an angel.

"No, baby, I wish it were real, but you're in the hands of a monster and there's nothing I can do to save you. I have no idea where you are. Can you give me a landmark? Anything to know where you are?"

"No, I…I didn't see anything. I don't know what you're talking…no, I'm not there. I'm here with you! Don't you dare send me back there!" Aya was panicking as he sat up. Yohji wrapped his arms tightly around Aya, letting the redhead cry against his shoulder.

"I'll find you, baby, just give me some time. I have no idea where he's taken you. There's no one who would willingly take him in as far as we know!" Yohji kissed the top of his head, feeling his own tears welling up in his eyes.

"Can't I stay here with you? Why do I have to go back there? This isn't…its not how its supposed to be! They should be in jail! Not here with me!" Aya screamed, looking completely wrathful.

"How many are there, Aya? How many are there with you? What are they doing to you?"

Aya just shook his head, drawing his knees up under his chin.

"What aren't they doing to me, Yohji? You saw last time. Do you really think its going to be that different this time? Only maybe I'll stay dead where I belong."

"Don't you ever say that to me again!" Yohji shouted at him.

Yohji woke with a startle. Omi was shaking him gently. He looked around. He was in his car in the backseat. Ken had made him switch and let him drive because Yohji had been drowsing at the wheel.

"You were screaming." Omi said very quietly, tears dripping down his face.

"He's really gone, isn't he? This is real?" Yohji looked into Omi's eyes as the boy nodded.

"Its not supposed to be real! Its supposed to be just another nightmare!"

"I know. I keep thinking the same thing, but its real and we have to find him. If it happens again he won't survive!" Ken said, always voicing his thoughts whether or not they were helpful.

"They had better not fucking touch him. I will rip out their throats if they do that to him again!" Yohji could hear his knuckles cracking as his hands tightened into fists.

"What do you think they're doing with him, having a fucking tea party? They're probably breaking his bones and fucking him," Ken growled. Omi smacked Ken in the back of the head. What the hell was he thinking shouting something like that?

"If that stubborn bastard hadn't gone to prison to confront them he wouldn't be in this mess. But oh no, he had to prove to himself that he wasn't scared shitless of them. He really needs to think before he pulls this shit!" Yohji screamed, punching the window hard enough to break the glass.

"Good job, Genius, now all the cold air is coming in!" Ken barked, only to have Omi smack him in the back of the head again.

"Goddamn it, Omi, don't do that! I'm trying to drive. Yohji sure as hell can't be behind the wheel in his condition. And there is no way in hell we're going to get pulled over because you don't have your license!" Ken shouted, slamming his fist on the steering wheel.

"Why do I feel like Aya's hurting? I can almost hear him screaming like he did on the phone that day. What if he doesn't wake up this time?" Yohji pressed his head to the back of the passenger seat, trying to catch his breath before he went into hysterics.

Author's notes: thanks JollyBigSis and Nix for your reviews. :)


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Aya lay on the counter. It was more comfortable that the floor. His feet were frozen. The first time he'd kicked Denjiro in the face the man had taken his boots away.

He could hear the shower running. Denjiro would be gone for a few minutes. The man only took five minute showers, then Aya was forced to deal with him again.

"Why the hell he chose you is fucking beyond me. I mean I know he likes them pretty, but you have the personality of a fucking wall. When you killed Denjiro's fuck buddy I thought he would fall back on me. But no, you just had to catch his eye!" Denjiro's partner growled, coming toward Aya.

Aya grinned, sitting up. He ran a hand down his chest, heading down toward his groin. The man's eyes watched his progression the entire way down.

"Don't deny yourself, you want me, too. So get over here," Aya let the man come up against the counter. He wrapped his legs around the man's waist, pressing up against him.

"Goddamn, baby, you're so fucking hot," the man hissed, already having forgotten his anger. Aya forced himself to act like he was enjoying the treatment as the man plundered his mouth.

He tried not to laugh as he heard the shower stop. It was just a moment of time before Denjiro stalked into the room, his eyes pissed as he watched his friend grab Aya's ass and pull him in even closer.

A dagger shot through the air, splitting into the man's side. Aya made his move, grabbing the man's head and twisting it hard enough to break his neck.

"I told you that you belong to me! How dare you…"

"I made you do what I wanted. I made you stab your only friend. And you know what, it was so good for me. You distracted him so I could kill him."

"What? You…"

"I'm just that good of an actor," Aya taunted, chuckling as Denjiro lunged for him. Aya didn't have much room to move around, with being shackled to the wall. But he evaded Denjiro's attack. He wrapped the chain around his neck from behind and tugged.

Denjiro was one step ahead of him, reaching aback and grabbing Aya's arms and throwing him over his shoulder. Aya gasped, the wind knocked out of him.

"You shouldn't have done that, baby. Because now all my attention will be focused on you." Aya lunged to his feet, kicking wildly at Denjiro, trying to land a good solid hit on his face. Denjiro just caught his leg effortlessly like he was a child.

"Still so vicious, kitten. Don't worry. I'll de-claw you soon enough." Denjiro punched him hard in the stomach. Aya stumbled backwards, nearly hitting his head on a cupboard.

"Time for a shower. Give me your arm," Aya hid his arms behind his back. He didn't want to be drugged again.

Denjiro grabbed him by the throat and squeezed hard. He held him like that while Aya struggled. Once Aya started to black out he felt Denjiro release his neck only to grab his arm and shove a needle into it.

Aya hated when he did that. But Aya didn't blame him. He'd let Aya shower alone once and had to fight him just to get him shackled again. Aya had fought like a wild animal, charging over and over, striking without backing down until Denjiro threw a dagger into his hand. Then Aya had to pause at the pain, giving Denjiro the opening to beat the shit out of him.

Aya had thought it was just Denjiro's partner that used throwing knives. Apparently both of them did.

What Denjiro didn't know was that Aya had taken apart a razor blade. He'd hidden one razor in his back pocket and had hidden the other one in his mouth under his tongue.

He wasn't sure if he could use it on the man, but it was better than nothing. And if things got to hopeless Aya could always slash his own wrists once Denjiro was sleeping.

"I'll cook you dinner once I'm done getting you all cleaned up,"

"Your cooking is shit," Aya growled, unable to stop Denjiro from dragging him into the bathroom.

He was leaned up against the wall while the giant of a man undressed him.

"You looked so damned sexy when you killed him. I just wanted to grab you and screw your brains out. And when you're pissed off I want you so bad."

It wasn't like Aya could hide it. I mean who wasn't pissed off when someone kept attacking them.

"Come on, baby, no stalling," Denjiro lifted him bodily and carried him into the shower.

"Shower or bath? Which one?" Denjiro always asked that. Aya always chose shower. It was bad enough to get raped in the shower, but to be forced to cuddle with Denjiro in the bath before being assaulted? Now that was hell.

"You're going to die soon," Aya said very quietly. Denjiro grabbed him by the hair and jerked his head back.

"Now what have I told you about that mouth of yours?" the man hissed. Aya didn't answer. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing Aya was afraid of him.

_If you keep giving me attitude I'm going to beat it out of you!_ Aya could do nothing as the man started washing his hair, acting like he hadn't just been violent. Aya was getting frustrated dealing with the man's mood swings. One minute he treated Aya like he was the most precious thing in the world, and the next he was beating him senseless.

Author's notes: Thanks JollyBigSis for your review. :)


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Yohji stretched his back. It was hard to sleep in the back of the vehicle, even with Omi sliding into the passenger seat in the front. Now Yohji's back was all cramped out.

It was the least of his worries, though. He still had no leads on where to find Aya. He could be anywhere. Hell, he could be in another city by now.

"There's some food left over for you. We didn't want to wake you up," Omi reached back with a bag of Chinese food.

Yohji grabbed his phone as it started ringing. He snapped it open and put it to his ear.

"Yohji?" It was Aya's voice, whispering like he was afraid to talk too loud.

"Where are you, baby?" Yohji shut his eyes tightly, listening to Aya's heavy breath. It sounded like he was in pain.

"I don't know. But this place is sort of small, like a shack. Out the window the house across the street is number 78, it has huge shrubs and an enormous spruce tree in the front yard. Um, what else, shit!" the line went dead. Yohji just hoped Aya had been able to hang up before that son of a bitch Denjiro had walked in on him.

"Was that Aya?" Ken asked, looking anxious.

"Yeah, he's in a little house. Across the street is an enormous spruce tree and the house across t he street is number 78. Oh, and huge shrubs across the street." It was better than nothing.

"Okay, we'll go down every street we come across. We should find it eventually. Its too bad he didn't know what street," he could hear Ken's hands tightening on the wheel. If the boy wasn't wearing gloves Yohji was sure he'd have white knuckles showing.

Yohji hated the way his body was reacting. Just the thought of being able to save Aya was making hard. He wasn't sure how much he could contain himself once he saw Aya. He wanted to pin him to the wall and screw his brains out.

"Down, boy," Ken teased, obviously noting his situation.

"You two can go at it like rabbits once we get him home. But who knows what condition he'll be in. He might have shattered bones and god knows what else," Ken was right, damn it! Aya could be like a broken doll, strewn out on the floor with empty eyes. Yohji had barely been able to handle seeing him the first time. What if Aya was broken beyond repair this time. Would Aya's mind finally give up and trap him forever inside his own head?

The mere thought took care of Yohji's problem. He could imagine Aya refusing to eat or slashing his own wrists to get away from that freak. They had to get to him fast. That was all Yohji knew right now.

He wondered if Aya was waiting for him, or if he was still struggling to escape. Would Aya be able to escape? He had enough strength to get to a phone.

They were scanning up and down the streets, taking them one by one. Still no sign of some house with a huge spruce tree.

Yohji couldn't help but remember the doll that had been crucified to the flower shop table three years ago, or the poor helpless cat that had the same treatment.

He wouldn't be surprised if he found Aya like that, stuck to a wall somewhere over a spray painted cross.

"Yohji, it doesn't take a genius to know what you're thinking. The more you think of the 'what ifs' the more you'll be distracted and might not see the house we're looking for." Omi was trying to be helpful, but it wasn't helping at all!

"What if he's screaming for me right now? What if he was caught on the phone and that son of a bitch is moving him somewhere else already?" Yohji was visibly shaking, he couldn't help it. Aya had better be okay!

"If he touched Aya I'll kill him. I…"

"I can guarantee he's touched Aya. I mean look at what he did last time! He isn't going to just keep Aya for something to stare at. If he's that obsessed with Aya he's going to be fu…" Omi smacked Ken on the back of the head, shutting him up.

It didn't matter, Yohji knew exactly what Ken was saying. The very thought made his blood boil. Aya was his, goddamn it!!!

He'd seen the pictures of Denjiro, the man was enormous. It would be so easy for him to hurt Aya, who was only half his size. Plus Denjiro had an accomplice. Two men that size could easily rip Aya to shreds.

He just prayed that the man's obsession would make it harder for him to hurt Aya, wanting to keep him alive as a pet.

He hated the idea of the man having sex with Aya, but it was better than the alternative, breaking Aya's bones and shredding his body like last time.

But either way it was horrible.

He knew Aya was screaming for him, begging for him to come to the rescue, but how could he when he didn't even know where Aya…Yohji's eyes widened at the huge spruce tree.

"Ken! Pull over!" Yohji screamed, pointing at the tree. Sure enough the house was number 78.

Yohji looked across the street. There was a small house, almost hidden by the larger houses around it.

"That's the one!" Yohji gasped, his heart racing a mile a minute as he ran toward the house.

"Shit!" Ken gasped, chasing after him. Yohji knew it was stupid to run in without a plan, but Aya was hurting!

Yohji paused at the sight before him. This couldn't be right!

Author's notes: oooh! The cliff hanger! Bet you guys hate me now! :P

Thanks JollyBigSis and Evalita for your reviews. :)


	48. Chapter 48

**C**hapter 48

Aya planted his foot on the wall and yanked as hard as he could on the chain. He'd been doing this constantly every time Denjiro left the room. It was finally starting to give, the hook on the wall was starting to come loose.

With one more hard jerk it came free, sending Aya sprawling out onto the floor. Aya sprinted toward the man tied to the chair and used the razor in his back pocked to cut his ropes.

"Run and don't look back," Aya whispered before lunging to the phone. He quickly dialled Yohji's cell phone. He explained everything he could see before he felt a menacing presence behind him.

He swung the phone at Denjiro, trying to catch him around the neck with the cord.

The man backhanded him so hard Aya saw stars as he hit the floor. Aya didn't have time to dodge as the man stomped on his chest. Aya could feel one of his ribs snapping, puncturing his lung. He coughed blood, turning onto his side.

Aya rolled to his feet, prepared to fight to the death. He lunged for Denjiro, startling the man as he wrapped his legs around his weight.

"I knew you'd come around, baby," Denjiro chuckled, inhaling his scent. Aya positioned the razor between his teeth and slashed it into Denjiro's neck. It wasn't enough. The man was bleeding profusely, but he wasn't staggering in the least.

The man lunged for him. Aya just barely was able to dodge, running so that the man couldn't grab him from behind. The man whipped a dagger at him, penetrating his shoulder. Another dagger drove into his thigh. There was blood everywhere in the room, splashing the counter and floors, dripping down the walls as Aya fought shot by shot with Denjiro.

It was hard, to say the least, when Denjiro's fist was twice the size of his own. He needed Yohji here to help him.

He'd already used his trump card. There was no way he'd get to Denjiro with the razor again. Aya pulled it out of his mouth and whipped it at him, it just bounced off.

Aya ripped one of the daggers out of his arm and threw it back at him, catching him in the forearm.

The place was starting to look like a war zone with all the blood splashing everything.

Denjiro caught him by the throat and lifted him right up off the floor. Aya kicked wildly. Struggling against the hand that grabbed him was useless. The only way to get down was to kick himself free. Aya pulled the other razor out of his back pocked and slashed down Denjiro's arm.

"You little shit! I'm going to break every bone in that sexy body of yours. Then we'll see how much of an obedient little pet you become!" Denjiro screamed, slamming Aya's head against the wall over and over.

Aya finally managed to kick him hard in the stomach. Denjiro released him. Aya coughed hard from his position on the floor. He was dizzy, it was getting hard to pull his legs under him.

Denjiro took the opportunity to kick Aya in the stomach.

Aya flopped onto his back, the agony of another broken bone made him lay still, panting for his breath.

"That's it, baby, just calm the hell down," Denjiro climbed onto Aya's body, straddling him while he reached down to palm Aya through his pants.

"I love it when you struggle. When you get that look in your eyes that could make even the largest man run away with his tail between his legs. That glare is just so freaking sexy," Aya gasped as Denjiro kissed him full on the mouth.

Aya slid his arm between them and used Denjiro's own weight to roll them so that he was on top. Aya jammed his thumbs into the man's eyes.

Denjiro screamed and let him go altogether. Aya ran for the kitchen drawers, rifling through them until he found a steak knife. He drove it into Denjiro's throat.

Aya collapsed. His body couldn't take much more, especially when he was losing so much blood.

He closed his eyes, letting his body rest for a bit. He just had to shut down like an overheated computer.

He hurt all over. He knew he had to do something about the punctured lung, but he couldn't seem to make himself move.

He heard the door open, but couldn't bother to open his eyes. He could feel hands on his face, checking him over. He could feel fingers checking his neck for a pulse.

It didn't matter. If Denjiro had survived and was checking his vitals there was nothing he could do about it. His body wouldn't obey him. Denjiro was going to rip him apart. He didn't care. He just needed to sleep it off.

There were arms around him, lifting him up. This must be a dream, because he could swear he could smell Yohji's comforting scent. Could hear Yohji's voice whispering to him that he was going to be alright.

What a lie that was. Aya wasn't that stupid. He was going to die. He'd lost too much blood and his lung had been punctured for what seemed like hours.

He would take this dream over the reality any day. He inhaled deeply, wanting nothing more than to wake up and look into those beautiful jade eyes.

It was hopeless. If he woke up he'd be in Denjiro's arms.

Omi's voice was there, and Ken's. This really was a dream. He had no doubt about it. But why did it feel so good when Yohji kissed his forehead.

author's notes: thanks chinchan and JollyBigSis for your reviews. :)


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Yohji ran to Aya's side. He knew he was panicking, because even though he could hear Aya's hoarse breathing he still took a second to check his pulse on Aya's badly bruised neck. He had to be one hundred percent sure that his mind wasn't playing tricks on him.

There was so much blood in the room. He could tell that only half of it was Aya's. The other half belonged to the injured man that lay strewn out across the floor with a huge knife in his neck. He didn't want to leave Aya's side, but he also didn't want to kill the man from far away. Yohji lunged at the man, letting his wire out enough to wrap it around Denjiro's neck and tighten it by hand. He ignored the pain in his hands as he jerked the wires as hard as he could. He could feel the blood dripping down his hands. The man's eyes were wide open as he struggled weakly. Aya had already done a number on the man, so there wasn't much fight left in him. Regardless, Yohji watched those cruel eyes drain of life. Then Yohji ran back to Aya.

Aya might have been able to nearly kill the man, but had they not found Aya right away he would've bled to death.

Yohji cupped Aya's face in his hands, feeling how cold his cheeks were.

"Hurry up, Yohji! He needs a hospital!" Ken shouted.

"I've got the door!" Omi said as Ken ran out to the car to get it started again. Yohji carefully lifted Aya up, knowing that there were a few broken bones that he didn't want to shift the wrong way. As it was he heard a sharp hiss of breath from Aya even though the man didn't open his eyes.

"Its okay, baby, I've got you. You're going to be fine," Yohji kissed his forehead, hoping to hell he was right.

"You put up one hell of a fight, didn't you?" Yohji wished Aya gave any sign of hearing him. All the redhead did was turn his face in against Yohji's shoulder like he was trying to breathe in his scent.

"He's dead, Aya. You killed the son of a bitch," Yohji almost smacked Aya's legs on the door as he ran outside. He wasn't going to tell Aya that he'd taken the man's last breaths. After how hard Aya had fought Yohji was going to have Aya think it had been his win.

"Be more careful!" Omi growled at him as Yohji climbed into the back of the car with Aya in his arms. Omi stretched the seatbelt around both of them before sitting in the passenger seat.

"How many broken bones do you think?" Ken asked, speeding away.

"At least three. I think its only his ribs that are broken. But he has a punctured lung and we have no idea how long he's had it for," Yohji kissed Aya on his cold lips.

"Yohji, squeezing him probably isn't a good idea," Omi said, peeking around the seat at him as he started dialling the hospital to tell them Aya was on his way.

Yohji hadn't realized he'd been squeezing Aya. He supposed he should've heard the pain in Aya's breaths, it was harsher than before.

Yohji brushed a stray strand of hair off Aya's face. Aya looked like hell and yet he looked more beautiful than ever to Yohji. Aya had given his all against that psycho. He'd even surprised Yohji with how stubborn he was in a fight. Aya had daggers sticking out of his body, broken ribs, welts all the way around his neck, and countless other injuries. And he was the one who had delivered the last blow. Denjiro had still been breathing, but just barely, and Yohji knew that if he hadn't killed the man it would've been only a matter or minutes or even seconds before the man would've been dead.

Yohji was glad they'd arrived in time to kill the bastard.

"Aya, can you hear me?" Yohji asked, his hand trembling as he traced his fingers down Aya's cheek.

"Yohji, leave him alone! If he wakes up he'll start moving around, then he'll hurt himself worse. You and I both know that he isn't going to sit still!" Ken shouted.

"But what if he leaves me behind again? If he leaves again he won't come back!" Yohji shouted back.

Ken accidentally jumped the curb as he sped into the hospital parking lot.

"Be careful, you ass!" Yohji snapped. The second the car stopped Yohji was climbing out awkwardly with Aya in his arms.

"Yohji! If you're going to carry him then at least try to keep from hurting him!" Omi cried, but Yohji ignored him. Yeah, he knew he was causing Aya pain by jostling him around all over the place, but he had to get Aya in as fast as he could. The only way to keep Aya still was to squeeze him, and he didn't know how much more damage that would do when his ribs were broken. Either way he was hurting him, and he didn't know what was better, but he did know that Aya had a punctured lung for a while now.

"Goddamn it! Yohji! What the hell!" Ken screamed, punching him in the shoulder so hard that Yohji almost dropped Aya.

"Ken! Get the fuck away from me!" Yohji warned. If Ken did that again Yohji was going to kill him.

"I never should've let you carry Aya when you're clearly freaking out!" Ken growled.

"Oh, and who would've carried him? You? You're not strong enough. So would you have Omi holding his legs?" Yohji had to stop himself from freaking out when the doctors took Aya from his arms. He wanted to hold on tight. To murder everyone in the room who even looked at Aya.

He took a deep breath and let Omi lead him by the arm to the seats. He hadn't realized he was freaking out that badly until the doctors had shown up.

"You going to be okay, Yohji?" Omi asked.

Yohji nodded. As long as Aya didn't leave him behind again he would be fine.

author's notes: thanks JollyBigSis, Luvzjazz, and Chinchan for your reviews. :)


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Aya looked around. He was back home. He would've guessed it was a dream except that the pain in his ribs was very real.

He carefully sat up. _How the hell did I get out of there alive? _Aya couldn't wrap his head around it. Denjiro had the upper hand, he'd had Aya up off the ground by the neck. Aya had been seeing spots, so how did he manage to escape?

Better yet, how the hell did he end up back at home and not bleeding to death on the floor. Somewhere in his subconscious he'd known he was going to bleed out and die there. He had no idea why he'd let himself go. Maybe it was to keep the memory of what Denjiro had done to him from haunting him. You couldn't be tormented if you were dead. Or at least Aya hoped not.

He looked at his arms. There was no blood there, just a few bandages. His chest was bandaged tightly to keep him from hurting himself any further.

Aya looked over and noticed Yohji sleeping sitting up against the wall. Yohji was shaking horribly. Aya had come to recognize the symptoms of Yohji's withdrawal enough to know that Yohji was still clean.

He smiled as he slid out of the bed and carefully walked over and knelt in front of him. This was real. Right now he didn't give a shit if Denjiro was alive or if he'd managed to kill him. Right now he just needed Yohji here with him.

He reached out and ran a hand through Yohji's hair, chuckling when Yohji murmured something and turned his head to the side.

Aya slid his arms around Yohji and pulled the man up against his chest. It hurt like hell, making him gasp, but he didn't let go.

"Wake up, Yohji," Aya said very quietly. He didn't want to startle the man, especially when his symptoms would make him jumpy as it was.

"You have to quit leaving me, Aya," Yohji's voice was groggy, making Aya wonder if he was still sleeping. Yohji's arms slid around him a little too tightly.

"I'm sorry." Aya really was. He seemed to be making a record out of how many times he could screw up and hurt Yohji. Sure, he'd been hurt, too, but his pain was penance for all the harm he had caused. Yohji was different. Sure, he'd killed too, but Yohji had been hurting all along. He'd never gotten over his pain from that Neu bitch. He'd been losing himself in alcohol and women. Then Aya had come along and had broken him out of that trend.

Every decision afterward that Aya had made seemed to end up hurting Yohji and the others around him. He felt like a disease.

"Not your fault, baby," Yohji tilted his head back and kissed him chastely on the lips.

"I should be the one apologizing. We never should've…I shouldn't have freaked out and made you leave. How can I claim to love you when I just kicked you to the curb the second you started behaving wrong. I should've seen the signs. I should've seen the desperation in your eyes!" Aya kissed the top of Yohji's head when the man started to cry into his shoulder.

"My desperation could've gotten any one of you killed. We both know that. What if Schwarz attacked while I was…visiting? Or…"

"Let's just say we both fucked up and leave it at that?" Yohji rubbed the tears out of those beautiful jade green eyes that Aya had imagined over and over.

"Oh! Shit! Your ribs!" Yohji practically lunged out of his arms.

"I'm fine," Aya assured. He reached out and grabbed Yohji's arm, pulling him back over.

"Aya, you should go back to bed. You're going to end up getting hurt." Aya shook his head. Like hell. He wasn't going to just lay around in bed all day. At least not alone.

"Don't be a stubborn ass!" Yohji grabbed him, lifting him up easily. Aya was surprised how quickly he'd done it without dropping him.

Aya didn't fight as Yohji lay him back down in the bed. But when Yohji moved to pull the blankets over him Aya grabbed his arm tight and yanked so hard Yohji fell on him. He winced at the pain in his chest. Regardless, he'd gotten his point across.

Yohji slid off him and settled in on the bed next to him, pulling the blankets up to cover them both to the waist.

"I missed you so much," Yohji whispered, kissing his neck. Aya tilted his head back to give him better access.

"Hn," he'd missed Yohji so much it had hurt. He'd missed Yohji's gentle touches, the sound of his voice, the loving expression in his beautiful eyes. It seemed like it had been eons since he'd been in Yohji's arms. Everything good had been wiped away with Denjiro's touch. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't always pretend it was Yohji that touched him. But damned if he hadn't tried.

Aya slid his hand down Yohji's chest, trying to reassure himself that it really was Yohji in his arms. Aya slid his hand down the front of Yohji's pants and palmed him.

"You're injured," Yohji protested as Aya slid on top of him. Aya leaned down and kissed Yohji full on the mouth. He would never be too injured for this!

"Is he dead?" Aya had to ask. He knew he wouldn't be able to handle not knowing.

"Yeah, you stabbed him in the neck. He bled out," Yohji's words had a touch of a lie to them, Aya just had to figure out what it was.

Aya awkwardly, and with Yohji's help, managed to get his pants off. He didn't have a shirt on, probably because of the bandages.

Aya unzipped Yohji's pants, which he noted were his leather mission pants, and freed Yohji's member.

Aya only let Yohji prepare him briefly before he slid down onto him. Denjiro's assaults had been so frequent that Aya was still a bit stretched already.

During none of Denjiro's attacks had Aya felt like this, felt the pleasure throbbing through his body, begging for release.

"Careful, Aya, I'm…"

Aya didn't need Yohji to finish that sentence. He was there, too. He rode Yohji harder, bringing them both to the brink. He came as he felt Yohji exploding inside of him.

"I missed you, even when you lie to me," Aya chuckled.

"Lie?" Yohji looked confused. Aya chuckled and grabbed Yohji's bandaged hands. Aya kissed Yohji's fingers with a small smile.

"It wouldn't be your wire that did this, would it? I mean if I killed Denjiro then you wouldn't have fought anyone. I just…can't believe that after all that, after I fought so hard he would've lived," the very idea pissed Aya off. He sat up against the headboard. Yohji followed suit, cupping his cheek.

"He was dying. A few more seconds, maybe a minute, and he would've been dead. I just…couldn't let him die without being able to…I had to kill him for you even though he was almost dead. I just couldn't let him spend even one last breath without knowing that he was being punished."

"Well, next time you decide to fight for my honour do us both a favour and kill them with your regular methods."

Yohji didn't even chuckle at that. Aya had been trying to lighten the mood, but he knew very well that he wasn't good at it. Hell, if anyone was a mood killer it was him.

"Mission tonight?" Aya asked, snuggling in against Yohji's shoulder. They seemed to fit perfectly together.

"No, and even if there was you wouldn't be going in this shape. No, I figured we could watch a movie and just spend time together. We haven't been doing much of that lately."

"Yeah," Aya liked the idea. While the idea of television wasn't on his top ten, the idea of spending the day wrapped in Yohji's arms while pretending to watch the movie was definitely appealing.

"I though I was dreaming," Aya murmured to himself.

"What was that, baby?" Yohji kissed the top his head as Aya let himself sag into Yohji's embrace.

"Nothing."

Author's notes: that is the end of the story!

give me around a week and I'll have another one started.

Thanks for the review JollyBigSis. :)


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